Stockdale aims to fill the void at full-back
ROB Kearney’s retirement from Test rugby robbed Ireland of a full-back with 98 caps, including three for the Lions, but Ulsterman Jacob Stockdale hopes to go one step closer to ending the debate about his successor against Georgia today.
Inexperienced youngster Hugo Keenan got the nod to start in the 15 shirt for last week’s 18-7 defeat to England at Twickenham, but it was his replacement Stockdale who caught the eye with his try-scoring salvo off the bench.
The 24-year-old will win his 31st cap today, and he says that playing alongside Leinster legend Kearney, below, for the majority of those appearances has furnished him with a library of advice.
Stockdale, who has started at 15 in both of his Ulster outings this season, said: “From playing wing, you learn what your full-back wants. With someone like Rob Kearney, who I played alongside for a good number of games, I was fortunate enough to be able to learn a good bit off him and understand the full-back position from what he wanted from me.
“Will Addison in Ulster has been a really good mentor for me too. He’s very experienced, played over
100 games for
Sale in the Premiership and understands the game really well.
“So he’s been a great guy to learn off and ask advice. I just text him after games – what do you think?”
The search for Kearney’s successor has seen Ireland sample a handful of players in the position in the last couple of seasons. Connacht’s Tiernan O’Halloran got a chance, uncapped Munster youngster Shane Daly is on the bench for today, while the injured Jordan Larmour, Addison, Mike Haley and centre Robbie Henshaw got a turn.
Head coach Andy Farrell appears to be edging towards Stockdale as his long term solution, and a solid display against Georgia will certainly bolster his case.
Stockdale knows he still has a lot of kinks to iron out though, including his link-up play with his outhalf – Ulster colleague Billy Burns starts there for Ireland for the first time today.
“The mental side of the game has definitely been a learning point for me in the last while,” Stockdale says. “On the wing, when the ball is on the far side of the pitch, you do have a few seconds to gather your thoughts and assess your surroundings.
“Whereas because you’re generally following the ball at full-back,
you’re constantly having to be switched on and communicating with your wingers and with your 10, so there’s more constant work at fullback. That’s definitely been a learning curve for me but it’s something that I’ve been really enjoying.
“It’s really important for a 10 and a full-back to get a connection behind the forwards, just moving around the pitch and the kicking options. That’s something that Andy Farrell has challenged me and Billy to do well this weekend.”
As always for Farrell the set piece will be a massive focus point, and after last week’s performance at Twickenham, he has taken a scalpel to the scrum.
Connacht tighthead Finlay Bealham starts at loosehead in a bold move – Bealham started as a loosehead when he moved to Connacht – while Ulster hooker Rob Herring starts ahead of Ronán Kelleher.
Another Ulsterman, Iain Henderson, returns to the second row following suspension, while the province’s influence on the team extends to Stuart McCloskey who is named at centre – alongside Chris Farrell, who is a graduate of the Ulster academy.
Losing the Six Nations decider in France was followed by a convincing win over Wales, which led into that comprehensive defeat at Twickenham.
Only a show of power will suffice against Georgia, whom they have defeated in all four matches to date.