RONAN O’GARA AND Jonny Sexton both left the Pro12 pastures to start life anew in France and the league’s top scorers charts don’t look the same without their non-smiling profile pictures.
While Welshman Dan Biggar remains an immovable presence, the former Munster and Leinster out-halves have been replaced by two other Irishmen. JJ Hanrahan has amassed 101 points in nine games [three as a sub] while Paddy Jackson has contributed 82 points to the Ulster cause.
Jackson continues to make remarkable, year-on-year improvements and looks set to deputise for Sexton in the Six Nations. Hanrahan, meanwhile, is continuing to duke it out with fellow Munster out-half Ian Keatley and revelling in his senior squad duties. He has yet to start in the Heineken Cup but made a try-scoring cameo against Perpignan, earlier this month, that puts the province in a good position to reach the quarter finals.
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The Kerry native has kicked solidly this season and has three league tries, including the vital score against Connacht. Will many Munster supporters are lauding Hanrahan with superlatives, coach Rob Penney opted for ‘conscientious’ after last week’s interprovincial win. Hard work on the training ground was paying off for the 21-year-old, Penney explained. “It’s bearing the fruit; he’s a talented kid and he’s making great progress,” the New Zealander added.
Jackson’s rise has been stratospheric. Six months older than Hanrahan, his undoubted ability shone through so much in his debut season that experience out-half Ian Humphreys was benched, in his favour, for the 2012 Heineken Cup season. That outing was one to forget but Jackson recovered well the following season. His form merited a Declan Kidney call-up and he jumped the queue, ahead of O’Gara, when Sexton’s hamstring injury ruled him out against Scotland.
Assured against Samoa in November, Jackson was deemed surplus to requirements for the Australia and New Zealand Tests. INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Again, the occasion bested the Belfast native but he responded superbly to kick some crucial penalties, and a conversion, in the home draw with France. He started this season in merely ordinary form but found form — playing and kicking — in the midst of a hard-fought interpro win over Connacht in Galway.
Both Munster and Ulster teams will be named on Thursday but the prospect of JJ versus Paddy at Ravenhill makes Friday evening’s encounter a fascinating one. Ulster flanker Chris Henry told TheScore.ie he has been blown away by Jackson’s progression in the past year.
He said, “Being in Irish camp and working under Joe [Schmidt] has been great for him. The improvements, week to week, has been astonishing. I’ve always had the highest regard for how talented he is.
He got his opportunities early and, almost straight away, he had to deal with negative press and negative feedback but he’s stuck at it. His defence has come on really well, too, and it would be great to see him up against JJ.
“He’s the man for us. He’s the one who drives the team. Any of the Ulster boys will tell you that. He has been running the show for us all season. There are some big games coming up so hopefully he will continue to do so.”
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JJ Hanrahan and Paddy Jackson set for Ravenhill showdown
RONAN O’GARA AND Jonny Sexton both left the Pro12 pastures to start life anew in France and the league’s top scorers charts don’t look the same without their non-smiling profile pictures.
While Welshman Dan Biggar remains an immovable presence, the former Munster and Leinster out-halves have been replaced by two other Irishmen. JJ Hanrahan has amassed 101 points in nine games [three as a sub] while Paddy Jackson has contributed 82 points to the Ulster cause.
Jackson continues to make remarkable, year-on-year improvements and looks set to deputise for Sexton in the Six Nations. Hanrahan, meanwhile, is continuing to duke it out with fellow Munster out-half Ian Keatley and revelling in his senior squad duties. He has yet to start in the Heineken Cup but made a try-scoring cameo against Perpignan, earlier this month, that puts the province in a good position to reach the quarter finals.
The Kerry native has kicked solidly this season and has three league tries, including the vital score against Connacht. Will many Munster supporters are lauding Hanrahan with superlatives, coach Rob Penney opted for ‘conscientious’ after last week’s interprovincial win. Hard work on the training ground was paying off for the 21-year-old, Penney explained. “It’s bearing the fruit; he’s a talented kid and he’s making great progress,” the New Zealander added.
Jackson’s rise has been stratospheric. Six months older than Hanrahan, his undoubted ability shone through so much in his debut season that experience out-half Ian Humphreys was benched, in his favour, for the 2012 Heineken Cup season. That outing was one to forget but Jackson recovered well the following season. His form merited a Declan Kidney call-up and he jumped the queue, ahead of O’Gara, when Sexton’s hamstring injury ruled him out against Scotland.
Again, the occasion bested the Belfast native but he responded superbly to kick some crucial penalties, and a conversion, in the home draw with France. He started this season in merely ordinary form but found form — playing and kicking — in the midst of a hard-fought interpro win over Connacht in Galway.
Both Munster and Ulster teams will be named on Thursday but the prospect of JJ versus Paddy at Ravenhill makes Friday evening’s encounter a fascinating one. Ulster flanker Chris Henry told TheScore.ie he has been blown away by Jackson’s progression in the past year.
He said, “Being in Irish camp and working under Joe [Schmidt] has been great for him. The improvements, week to week, has been astonishing. I’ve always had the highest regard for how talented he is.
“He’s the man for us. He’s the one who drives the team. Any of the Ulster boys will tell you that. He has been running the show for us all season. There are some big games coming up so hopefully he will continue to do so.”
Like rugby? Follow TheScore.ie’s dedicated Twitter account @rugby_ie >
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Guinness PRO12 interpro JJ Hanrahan Munster next gen outhalf Paddy Jackson Pro12 Ravenhill Rugby Ulster