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Rhys Priestland?

As someone as already stated kicking is not his strongest attribute in the game but it is one that he is improving on, plus as stated already Halfpenny is a better kicker and rightly so took over from Priestland and did the job in the end, lets not also forget Priestland up untill Jones got injured before the world cup played at full back a lot for the Scarltes to accomadate Jones in their team, what you get with Priestland is his all round game which for me makes him the best number 10 in Wales right now he constantly keeps the ball moving and the game moving forward, he brings the animals Roberts and Davies running in at all angles causing havoc and being a succes for Wales, with Hook I find him to be greedy at times and that lets him down, Hook is not a bad player at all dont get me wrong he has done very well for Wales at times but he had his chancees at the world cup and he nlew them all up in smoke didn't he, he had a terrible time.
 
I agree. It's much more important to have a 10 who is a reliable goal kicker over any other skill - just ask Scotland ;)
 
TRF_Olyy said:
I agree. It's much more important to have a 10 who is a reliable goal kicker over any other skill - just ask Scotland ;)
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Well if you have someone like Halfpenny in the side (Or Hook if Roberts or JD is out) then you can allow for them to be attackers first and foremost, but yeah it's dodgy ground and you'd expect a 10 to be able to bang them over.

I grew up watching Neil Jenkins, so I guess I'm biased! Still can't believe he played 15 for The Lions. "Get him on the pitch".
 
If we've got Halfpenny in the side then it doesn't really matter about Priestland's kicking. Gatland himself admitted Halfpenny should have been taking the kicks from the start because Priestland wasn't 100%. Hes the best 10 we've had in a long time id like to stick with him.
 
TRF_Olyy said:
I don't get it - People are going on as if Priestland was dire in that match.
Missed kicks aside he had a good game, he caried well, passed well and all but one (I think) of his kicks through/upfield were very well done.

Like I said, give the kicking to Halfpenny and Priestland is easily the best option at 10.
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couldn't says it better, priest land wasn't that bad, I can't imagine what that back line would have done with hook or jones at 10. Dunno if you watched scrum v but shanklin picked up how he gets the best out of people around him which is true.

you drop priestland you'll see the difference! He is a big reason Wales clicked at the WC, note the France game in the world cup, Wales didn't play that well that game, France were just absolute **** and with RP on the field, we woulda won comfortably with 14
 
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It wasn't just his place kicking, out of hand he was poor as well. To be honest, with him being so poor in the game and our line-out up to it's usual tricks, at times it was a miracle we had any field position at all. I just don't think we'd get away with it on many other days, especially against France who can really punish you with ball in hand with the likes of Malzieu and crew.

If you look at the way it took us about 4 minutes to get from our 10 metre line from the last restart, to the try, it exemplifies what we relied on throughout the game. Hard running, quick ball and beating men.
 
Remember that Priestland wasn't 100% i think he will get better as we go. Im sure Gatland and co will look at it and try to fix it as well. Hes kicking out of hand a lot better than Stephen Jones ever did thats for sure.
And i don't think his tactical kicking was all that bad. He kicked into space well a few times and put in some good grubbers behind the Irish defence.
His kicking is usually good as well. In the world cup warm ups he kicked very well and also during the world cup itself notably the South African game. Against Northampton in the HC he won a match the match award so i wouldn't write him off just yet.
 
welshglory said:
If we've got Halfpenny in the side then it doesn't really matter about Priestland's kicking. Gatland himself admitted Halfpenny should have been taking the kicks from the start because Priestland wasn't 100%. Hes the best 10 we've had in a long time id like to stick with him.
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Is this a direct quote from Gatland because if it is I would be absolutely fuming regardless of the result.

If I give an instruction to any player about anything I expect it to be followed or that player will find himself riding the pine pony. Are we suggesting that the Welsh players are ignoring the coaching staff?
 
Olliekooga said:
Is this a direct quote from Gatland because if it is I would be absolutely fuming regardless of the result.

If I give an instruction to any player about anything I expect it to be followed or that player will find himself riding the pine pony. Are we suggesting that the Welsh players are ignoring the coaching staff?
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No, I saw the interview and Gatland just said that he had doubts over whether or not Priestland should have been taking the kicks. But he was obviously instructed to take them.

Gatlands word is law in that team. In my opinion, one of the main reasons we've been successful lately.
 
Priestland did look a bit off form, it must have been the injury. Halfpenny turned the game around.
 
This is a crazy tread, Priestland is the best no 10 in the 4N let alone Wales. The length of his line kicking and, as demonstrated at the Saints, the height of his garryowens are something else. His running ability means he is always a threat to the defenders, Davies' first try demonstrated that.
 
djames6 said:
This is a crazy tread, Priestland is the best no 10 in the 4N let alone Wales. The length of his line kicking and, as demonstrated at the Saints, the height of his garryowens are something else. His running ability means he is always a threat to the defenders, Davies' first try demonstrated that.
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The best 10 in the 4 Nations doesn't have the kicking duties taken off him. On form he is, yeah, but not at the moment.
 
Being a great 10 =/= being an amazing goal kicker.

If the rest of their game is top notch, and there's someone else on the team who can kick, who cares?
 
TRF_Olyy said:
Being a great 10 =/= being an amazing goal kicker.

If the rest of their game is top notch, and there's someone else on the team who can kick, who cares?
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exactly, nobody said let's drop Stephen Larkham, François Trinh-Duc or Gregor Townsend because they played 10 and didn't goal kick because there were better kickers elsewhere in the side
 
Terry Holmes used to kick for Wales. Does that take away from the outside half playing at the time?

I'm personally of an opinion that having the kicking duties fall on a player with less pressure on him already makes sense. The outside half already has the pressure of controlling the game, making the decision of when to pass, run or kick etc. There is less pressure on the rest of the backline. If a winger can kick like Halfpenny it makes sense to me to hand him the kicking duties. Some outside halves gain confidence from their kicking, thus propelling the rest of their game, but some don't, and imo Priestland falls into the second category. He's a confidence kicker, but tis aspect of his game has never influenced the rest of his game.

Spread the responsibilities. Anyone know why it always seems to be the 10 who kicks (apart from in France where the 9 is usually the kicker)? It's never been clear to me. If all players practised their goal kicking from a young age, then maybe more wingers, centres, fullbacks, or even some forwards whould have the kicking duties. As it is, I suppose only the outside half practises kicking in youth/amateur level.
 
dullonien said:
Terry Holmes used to kick for Wales. Does that take away from the outside half playing at the time?

I'm personally of an opinion that having the kicking duties fall on a player with less pressure on him already makes sense. The outside half already has the pressure of controlling the game, making the decision of when to pass, run or kick etc. There is less pressure on the rest of the backline. If a winger can kick like Halfpenny it makes sense to me to hand him the kicking duties. Some outside halves gain confidence from their kicking, thus propelling the rest of their game, but some don't, and imo Priestland falls into the second category. He's a confidence kicker, but tis aspect of his game has never influenced the rest of his game.

Spread the responsibilities. Anyone know why it always seems to be the 10 who kicks (apart from in France where the 9 is usually the kicker)? It's never been clear to me. If all players practised their goal kicking from a young age, then maybe more wingers, centres, fullbacks, or even some forwards whould have the kicking duties. As it is, I suppose only the outside half practises kicking in youth/amateur level.
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I think there are two reasons: As the FH and the FB are the ones (at least traditionnally) that do most of the kicking in opena play, then it is logical that they are also among the best placekickers. Now that wingers and SHs do open play kicking as well (more than before), we are seeing them kicking goals more. The second reason is that the players who grow up wanting to be fly-halves, are often kids who like being on the spotlight, so practice kicking more often and feel more comfortable having the pressure on them.


edit: take all that above and put an 'IMO'.
 
ZeFrenchy said:
I think there are two reasons: As the FH and the FB are the ones (at least traditionnally) that do most of the kicking in opena play, then it is logical that they are also among the best placekickers. Now that wingers and SHs do open play kicking as well (more than before), we are seeing them kicking goals more. The second reason is that the players who grow up wanting to be fly-halves, are often kids who like being on the spotlight, so practice kicking more often and feel more comfortable having the pressure on them.


edit: take all that above and put an 'IMO'.
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Yeh, you're probably correct. There isn't any reason that any player can't be good natural goal kickers though. Place kicking is very different from kicking from hand after all.
 
Kicking aside, Priestland is the Wales team - nobody opens up the Welsh backline like he does. The win would not have come without him!
 

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