Priestland calls on Neil Jenkins to help sort out his kicking issues.

Rhys Priestland has sent a SOS to Wales goal-kicking guru Neil Jenkins after struggling in Glasgow last weekend.

The Wales play-maker missed three attempts at goal during Scarlets 18-13 RaboDirect Pro12 victory in Glasgow.

One was from short-range but the league table-toppers insist they will stick with Priestland as their first-choice marksman despite him missing 86% of his shots at Scotstoun.

“I want the outside-half to be the kicker of the team,” said Scarlets backs coach Mark Jones.


He revealed Priestland has consulted goal-kicking legend Jenkins in an effort to up his strike rate.

“I know Rhys has already spoken to ‘Jenks’ about his kicking,” said former Wales wing Jones.

“I think Rhys sees him a lot and speaks to him in his own time.”

Priestland was removed from Wales goal-kicking duties by coach Warren Gatland during last season’s Six Nations Championship because of a disappointing strike-rate in the tournament opener against Ireland in Dublin.

Leigh Halfpenny took over and proved unflappable as they raced to a Grand Slam.

But Jones was adamant the Scarlets wouldn’t follow suit and give up on Priestland as a goal-kicker.

They stuck with the 25-year-old during a tight encounter with Glasgow despite Jones acknowledging: “A 14% kicking success rate is a worry but Rhys has already started on putting that right.

“We saw a lot of good stuff from Rhys in the game.

“I was keen to let him stay out there and develop. He wasn’t having a bad game outside the kicking.

“We didn’t take the kicking off him and we are confident he will get better for it.

“It was only right and proper we let the Wales outside-half battle on and kick during the game.”

Jenkins can only spend limited time working with Priestland because of his other commitments with the WRU.

“Jenks is only available so much. Sometimes we see him once a month or, at other times, twice a week,” said Jones.

“But Jenks is a good professional guy and would have read the reports. He would have been straight on the telephone.

“Rhys has regularly worked with Jenks. We will have some conversations, which can only help Rhys get better.”

“He has worked really hard – he puts a great focus on it.”

Jones said the Scarlets were considering appointing a specialist kicking coach.

And he added: “I am committed to developing all the players so they are ready when they go to international rugby. We need to turn out well-rounded players.

“Rhys is the No1 kicker on the field at the moment. He will take the first kick at goal.

“It’s only right Rhys is our No10 and we give him game-time ahead of Europe.

“He was No10 last season when Wales reached the semi-finals of the World Cup and won the Six Nations.

“Rhys needs to keep playing. From my experience of Rhys, he gains confidence and plays better when he appears regularly. We want to play him into form.”

Scarlets are short of other goal-kicking options when Priestland is at outside-half.

Their other experienced goal-kicker, Aled Thomas, is also a No10 while youngster Jordan Williams, who can play at full-back, or winger Kristian Phillips aren’t assured of starting slots.

Livewire full-back Liam Williams has stuck up a hand, telling Jones he used to be a goal-kicker and practising at training.

The unbeaten Scarlets bid to make it three wins on the trot when they face Connacht in Galway next Saturday.

They demolished Heineken Cup kings Leinster 45-20 in their opener and followed it up by grinding out victory over Glasgow but are looking to take another step forward against the Irish province.

“There’s definitely room for improvement,” declared Jones.



Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbynation/rugby-news/2012/09/12/rhys-priestland-sends-for-neil-jenkins-as-kicking-struggles-continue-91466-31814303/#ixzz26FUUyTqd

There's a reason Priestland kicks: because no one else can. Literally, no one in the backline, especially since Dan Evans left, can kick off a tee outside our 10s. Don't know if Liam Williams might have an adequate boot on him, but wouldn't count on it. Tavis is a great tactical kicker as well, but no idea if he could kick at goal. It's a very different ability.

In short, Priestland will be getting a lot of opportunities to improve his goal kicking as long as he's on the pitch.

It does seem to be in his head. I know Rog is big into mental sthrenght training. Maybe if they had someone talking him through it at the tee when he's taking the kicks.

Dropping his kicking duties for wales can't of helped but also make him not need to try as he's still fly half.

Sexton was dropped till he got himself right and that is what is needed some times.

Prior to the RWC Priestlands kicking was actually pretty good, so i agree it could well be psychological.

Great that the WRU make Jenks available to help out. Best kicker I have ever seen.

It's definitely confidence. Two to three years ago, one or two missed kicks at goal and his whole game fell apart, he'd start making stupid mistakes and just go missing at 10. That seems to have been eradicated, but all the mental coaching cannot change someone's nature so dramatically in such a short space of time. He's only really been in a Welsh shirt for 12 months, it all happened pretty quickly, and with the pressure/scrutiny that comes on that position, it's understandable. His form isn't bad; but it's nowhere near the kind of performance he was putting in regularly 12-18 months ago for the Scarlets, and then consequently Wales.

I'd like to see him maintain kicking duties for the Scarlets, but Halfpenny has proven that he has the potential to be one of the most consistent in the world; he's quality at nailing those ones that Hook and Priestland and Stephen Jones had/have a propensity to miss.

Priestland's problem isn't talent; he can slot them from the touchline and halfway. I'd say, whilst it is demoralising to be a 10 and lose the kicking duties, at international level he just needs to suck it up and use it as a source of inspiration to possibly reclaim. For the Scarlets he should be given more freedom, as it isn't the same level and intensity of rugby. If, then, he is kicking well for region, he will be able to step up and nail that 'tricky, but kickable' kick on the 10m line, netween the touchline and posts, if Halfpenny is substituted/injured/kicking poorly.

This line is wrong:

The Wales play-maker missed three attempts at goal during Scarlets 18-13 RaboDirect Pro12 victory in Glasgow



He missed 6 attempts at goal up in Glasgow.

Priestland has always been a bit mentally flaky when it comes to his kicking. He was fine though up until the Ireland game where he kept hitting the post then had the duties taken away from him. He'll be alright, he just needs to get his technique back to what it used to be as he's changed it recently.

Good that he accepts that he could be doing better and is willing to do what he can to try sorting it out. Against stiff defences like those we came up against in the 6N Wales desperately needs goal-kickers who can nail their opportunities. Needless to say yet still worth mentioning as it's the best example, this is the role Carter plays for the AB's when they find their try-scoring capabilities restricted by a determined defence. It's what forms a big part of a complete team and if Halfpenny's form on the boot were to decline Priestland would be one of the first men you'd turn to in this current Welsh side.

It's not only Priestland's goal-kicking that worries me. In NZ he truly was a playmaker, he kicked well to touch and intelligently into space giving the backs something to chase. That type of pressure on the opposition is what Wales have lacked since. He also had a knack of knowing the best man to pass to. These aspects of Priestland's game declined over the course of the 6N along with his kicking at the posts.

It's a bit harsh though as it was his 1st start of the season, and while he hasn't been kicking well and was poor during the game, I think Jackson missed around 4 kicks for Glasgow.

I'm sure he'll improve for the Scarlets and will get his kicking ratio between 80% and 90%, but whether he'll improve enough by the AIs is something else...

Interesting that Mark Davies says they are looking at getting a kicking coach in, that's obviously the role they wanted Wellies for before he went to Wasps.

Good to see some of our past players being used for good now rather than left like years gone by

Exactly Bedford

Think of all the wasted knowledge in the game prior to the last ten years, it is sickening really.