LEICESTER TIGERS 2023/24 - KANGAROO MCKELLER: Do you come from a land down under? (Squad thread pt 2)

[fentiger]

Steward started his senior career on the wing for us, so obviously knows that position well, from there a move inside isn't that dramatic!

Are you suggesting that a move to 12 from the wing isn’t that dramatic?

Maybe you could name others that have made that move

I'll go with George North....

[Rugbygramps]

Steward started his senior career on the wing for us, so obviously knows that position well, from there a move inside isn't that dramatic!

Are you suggesting that a move to 12 from the wing isn’t that dramatic?

Maybe you could name others that have made that move

I'll go with George North....

Think you’ll find he had 13 on his back. I said 12 they are different positions and not many can cover both

[sapajo]

Has our academy been the worse in terms of wing production?
Looking at saints Slightholme, Freeman, Hendy all rapid, We just seem to struggle getting Wingers from academy to first team.

Even Simmons wasn't a winger in age grade.

Hopefully Satala and Kinder both live up to promise.

We had Lewington and Purdy which we let go.

[fentiger]

Are you suggesting that a move to 12 from the wing isn’t that dramatic?

Maybe you could name others that have made that move

I'll go with George North....

Think you’ll find he had 13 on his back. I said 12 they are different positions and not many can cover both

...and I said centre.... unless 12 is outside wing?

[Rugbygramps]

I'll go with George North....

Think you’ll find he had 13 on his back. I said 12 they are different positions and not many can cover both

...and I said centre.... unless 12 is outside wing?

Changing the goalposts a bit aren’t we. Haven’t seen it mentioned once that a move to 13 is on the cards for him. I said 12 so I wait for your examples of that

[RagingBull]

From memory with curreny International 12's
De Allende spent his first season as a wing/inside centre.
Henshaw was a full back and outside centre
Aki started out as a winger in NZ
Jordie Barrett obviously was a back 3 prior
Tuisova

[Rugbygramps]

From memory with curreny International 12's
De Allende spent his first season as a wing/inside centre.
Henshaw was a full back and outside centre
Aki started out as a winger in NZ
Jordie Barrett obviously was a back 3 prior
Tuisova

Well it shows what I know. Good list RB

[sapajo]

If Freddie moved to the centres he would be very much in the mould of Will Greenwood

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

Umanga, Nonu started on the wing, Julian Savea is playing 12 these days, Bryce Heem is playing inside as well, only ever seen as a 14 when up here. Think David Havalli played wing early in in his career...

The one thing that links them all along with Jordie Barrett (who can play 10-15 & maybe has for the ABs) is they are all Kiwis, they learn the basics when growing up.

It can be done, but possibly not in an English set up.

[ABClub]

Are you suggesting that a move to 12 from the wing isn’t that dramatic?

Maybe you could name others that have made that move

I'll go with George North....

Think you’ll find he had 13 on his back. I said 12 they are different positions and not many can cover both

The obvious example is Jamie Roberts from the wing and Jordie Barrett from fullback and wing.

Robbie Henshaw's earliest Connacht appearances were mostly at fullback as well though. Whilst Ma'a Nonu played a lot of wing early in his Super Rugby career, was exclusively a 13 when playing centre. He became an all timer at 12.

Andrea Masi also played 15, 13 and 12 at the highest level. Going further back, Josh Lewsey played 12 excellently when needed despite being predominantly a wing and fullback.

Tuisova and Radrada shifting from wing for Fiji of course. Though Fiji play a bit differently to most teams. Favouring "how many units can we fit from 1-15" rather than multiple playmakers. Just smash over the gain line using freak athletes.

It's certainly a move that has happened. In modern defences, there's certainly an argument that 13 is the toughest positionally, hence the tougher move anyway. Outside centre is the pivot point of most defensive systems, the position that keeps everyone on either side aligned.

[Tiglon]

In fairness, a lot of young backs get initial first team appearances on the wing - doesn't mean they're a winger, it's just a position they can get some minutes in with less responsibility and pressure than 10, 12, 13 or 15.

Cipriani is another who made his first senior appearances on the wing.

Personally I like Steward on the wing with Shillcock at full back. I wouldn't move him to centre, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't work.

[ABClub]

If Freddie moved to the centres he would be very much in the mould of Will Greenwood

Jordie Barrett is the most obvious parallel. Very tall and physical unit who played 15 with a giant boot but had some limitations there in attack compared to effectively fly-halves that NZ started picking there. So they shifted him to 12, used him to get over the gain line on crash ball, used his massive boot more selectively as an exit option from the 22 where accuracy wasn't as much of a premium over distance, let his size develop into an asset defensively as making yards down the 12 channel is now very hard against Jordie.

NZ are also a great blueprint for still utilising kick chase ability from centre. Barrett is 6'5" and great in the air. Ioane is big and rapid. They started putting contestable kicks up down the middle of the field as well as down the flanks.

[Rugbygramps]

Barrett is the often cited example but this is a player who has played for the Canes at 10, not sure about New Zealand, and has a much greater all round skill set than Steward at this stage of his career.
As Tiglon says Steward on the wing makes more sense, in an attacking sense if he gets the ball when he is already moving one of his big strengths is his strength in contact.

We will have to wait and see as far as I know the only place this has been muted on here

[RagingBull]

Barrett is the often cited example but this is a player who has played for the Canes at 10, not sure about New Zealand, and has a much greater all round skill set than Steward at this stage of his career.
As Tiglon says Steward on the wing makes more sense, in an attacking sense if he gets the ball when he is already moving one of his big strengths is his strength in contact.

We will have to wait and see as far as I know the only place this has been muted on here

Jordie hasn't started a single game at 10 for the canes. Not sure if he went there as a bench option but pretty sure Black was their back up 10.
In fact the only game Jordie did start at 10 was for NZ v Nambia

Barrett only started played 12 at 25 prior to have he had 6 starts at 13.
I don't question that Jordie is a better passer but that's not to say Steward couldn't be, he just rarely does it in the game plans he has been in.

That being said unless we plan to transition Kelly to 13 I would rather focus Kelly on 12. Steward and Kelly both learning new positions at the same time isn't a great way to do things.

[Rugbygramps]

I don’t have your stats access but I’m certain he has started at 10 for the Canes going back a few seasons though
Admittedly it could be my memory