Best current goalkickers in NZ Rugby

[Punch_up]

Who is the best goalkicker in NZ rugby (both NPC and Super Rugby)?

Feel free to base your answer (or why you disagree with someone else's answer) on stats OR gut feel OR observations of their technique.

[nzzp]

stats only get you so far. Good kickers may attempt shots others wouldn't.

This is like the best surgeons often having a higher death rate on their tables as they take on cases others couldn't/wouldn't.

That said, I have no idea! Kicking under pressure is key. Overall, we don't seem to really value goalkicking consistency like the NH do. Even DC had off days with the boot, and he was superb.

[Punch_up]

@nzzp That's a good point re good kickers attempting shots others wouldn't.

I'd almost go further and say some great kickers can have an off month or tournament. Personally, I thought that a player like Thomas Ramos of France was off of freakishly accurate best at the RWC.

[frugby]

I think Sam Gilbert is quite clearly the best kicker... at least professionally?

[Bovidae]

@frugby said in Best current goalkickers in NZ Rugby:

I think Sam Gilbert is quite clearly the best kicker... at least professionally?

I'm not sure Gilbert is even the best goal-kicker in Otago. Millar doesn't miss much from what I've seen.

For thing is for sure, only DMac and JB have the range to kick accurately from 50 m. Maybe Sullivan is also in that conversation.

[Punch_up]

@frugby Interesting choice. I suspect Gilbert's utility player status keeps ppl from noticing the better parts of his game.

[Punch_up]

@Bovidae Range is an underappreciated aspect of goalkicking and has quite an effect on how opposition teams play in certain zones.

There are quite a lot of upsides to Sullivan.

[george33]

Zarn Sullivan and he's capable of a drop goal if needed, pretty sure he won a game for Blues couple seasons back with a 40m droppie

[Duluth]

	Mins	Goals	Misses	Penalties	Pen Missed	Conversions	Cons Missed	%
McKenzie	955	57	21	19	7	38	14	73.1%
Mo'unga	960	52	13	8	3	44	10	80.0%
J Barrett	960	48	20	12	3	36	17	70.6%
Gilbert	938	45	7	12	1	33	6	86.5%
B Barrett	765	37	10	10	1	27	9	78.7%

This is the NZ players in the top 10 goalkickers after the round robin of SR last season. Ordered by most successful kicks

Surprised JB's %age is that low. He's not dragged down by long range penalty shots either. DMac was noticeably less accurate than before his overseas stint too

[Bovidae]

@Duluth Have you got the % for penalties from say 45 m+?

[Kiwiwomble]

@Duluth go Gilbert isn't a bad shout (millar didn't play enough to really come into it but i get the argument)

[Duluth]

@Bovidae said in Best current goalkickers in NZ Rugby:

Have you got the % for penalties from say 45 m+?

Not really. There is a chart of a teams kicks across the season. But that combines all the teams kickers

---

The black marks are misses
Circle is a penalty
+ is a Conversion
Diamond is a DG

[Bovidae]

Interesting. So DMac is really the only kicker who regularly attempted long-range penalties.

[Kiwiwomble]

assuming over the course of the seasons penalties for average out for all the teams...im surprised we didnt go for more given a) we were less likely to score tries than other teams and b) Gilbert was kicking well

is that 5 penalties kicked and 1 missed outside the 22?

[Duluth]

@Bovidae said in Best current goalkickers in NZ Rugby:

Interesting. So DMac is really the only kicker who regularly attempted long-range penalties.

Also he was consistent between penalties & conversions

Pens 19/26 = 73%
Conv 38/52 = 73%

[frugby]

@Bovidae said in Best current goalkickers in NZ Rugby:

@frugby said in Best current goalkickers in NZ Rugby:

I think Sam Gilbert is quite clearly the best kicker... at least professionally?

I'm not sure Gilbert is even the best goal-kicker in Otago. Millar doesn't miss much from what I've seen.

For thing is for sure, only DMac and JB have the range to kick accurately from 50 m. Maybe Sullivan is also in that conversation.

I would have Millar as a very close 2nd. Highlanders are blessed to have both of them, both can kick accurately, and from range.

McKenzie also fairly good generally, Sullivan less consistent but good from range.

[Punch_up]

@Duluth Thanks for the stats. I knew Gilbert was good, but I didn't know he was that good!

I get the feeling that JB's kicking has fallen off over the years, but coaches/selectors haven't really noticed and they still have kicking listed as a major string to his bow. Just a suspicion of course (as I don't have his stats over multiple seasons).

[Punch_up]

@Duluth Another really insightful graph.

Chiefs: They seem to be a bit more confident/optimistic from further out. They're actually hitting a few successfully from long range. Does anyone know what exactly Dmac did to work on his kicking in Japan? BC his kicking for posts and out-of-hand stuff has improved quite a bit.

Highlanders: They have really accurate kickers in their team, but I also get the feeling that they have really good decision rules re when to go for goal and who takes the shot from where (i.e. side, angle, distance). Impressive.

[frugby]

@Punch_up said in Best current goalkickers in NZ Rugby:

@Duluth Another really insightful graph.

Chiefs: They seem to be a bit more confident/optimistic from further out. They're actually hitting a few successfully from long range. Does anyone know what exactly Dmac did to work on his kicking in Japan? BC his kicking for posts and out-of-hand stuff has improved quite a bit.

Highlanders: They have really accurate kickers in their team, but I also get the feeling that they have really good decision rules re when to go for goal and who takes the shot from where (i.e. side, angle, distance). Impressive.

Part of it with the Highlanders is probably that we get behind early, so kick fewer penalties, particularly low percentage ones.

[Kiwiwomble]

@frugby yeah, that did occur to me after i posted before