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'That's where he excels': Why Gibson-Park is no longer just a sub
It’s weird how regular replacement Jamison Gibson-Park has suddenly become one of the most influential players in the Leinster team that is chasing a fifth Heineken Champions Cup title for the club this weekend. When the New Zealander arrived in Ireland in 2016, he came with the reputation of being a cover player at the Blues and the Hurricanes.
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In four seasons of Super Rugby in Auckland and Wellington, the scrum-half half started in just seven of his 40 appearances, a selection trend that continued after his arrival in Dublin as just five starts were all Gibson-Park managed in 29 Champions Cup appearances during his initial five seasons at Leinster.
However, the 30-year-old is no longer playing second fiddle provincially to Luke McGrath, his confidence inflamed like never before after he ousted Conor Murray this season as the No1 Ireland scrum-half and started seven of the eight Tests played in 2021/22 by Andy Farrell’s team.
Leinster still retain somewhat of a soft spot for McGrath, who has completely fallen off the Ireland radar post-Joe Schmidt. For instance, they started him at Connacht in the first leg round of 16 match in early April. However, Gibson-Park has been their preferred pick in the knockout stage matches since then, starting alongside Johnny Sexton in the return leg versus Connacht and going on to be the No9 against Leicester and Toulouse.
In total, Gibson-Park has scored four tries in his seven European appearances this term with Leinster, a strike rate compatible with his Test level exploits of three tries in seven recent Ireland outings. The great mystery, though, is why such an influential player in 2021/22 took so long to realise his potential in a slow-burning career where he seemed destined to only ever be a backup scrum-half player, not a must-pick starter.
Brian O’Driscoll has watched the transformation with huge interest, suggesting that the energy levels of Gibson-Park are incredible. “He is just enjoying the style of play that Leinster are playing. It suits his game, it’s fast,” said the legendary midfielder, who helped his province win the Champions Cup in 2009, 2011 and 2012, to RugbyPass. “As much as there is structure to the way he is playing, the expectation when the ball is ready to go is you move it and you don’t wait for set-ups, you don’t wait for pods to get into play.
“Leinster probably organise themselves a little bit better, a little bit quicker than maybe they did in the past. They have got really fluid with that but if they are not set up and you throw the ball quickly because it is ready to go, it also means that the defence hasn’t a chance to set and there is an opportunity for guys to use their footwork and used their heads-up to take on what picture they are seeing in front of them.
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“That is where he excels. He has a really nice variety to his game, box kicks the pressure away from Johnny Sexton a lot of the time. He really interests the defenders, the first and second defenders around the ruck, pulling them out and putting forwards in, and then his link play and counter-attack play, just the whole lot of it is very, very good. He is defensively strong too.
“He is really playing with an awful lot of confidence at the moment and an awful lot of fitness. He looks very, very fit, looks as though he is a guy that just keeps on going and going. People sometimes lose sight of how much running scrum-halves have to do, particularly when he is defending on the edge which he does too, to get to every ruck. To be there through 14, 15 phases is exhausting yet he never looks like a guy that has his hands on his hips, he has always got high energy, high tempo.”
- BT Sport is the home of the European Rugby Champions Cup. The 2021/22 season concludes this weekend with Leinster vs Stade Rochelais live on BT Sport 2 at 4pm on Saturday, May 28. Find out more on how to watch at BT Sport bt.com/sport
Comments on RugbyPass
Great article. No insights to add, just wanted to say that. :)
1 Go to commentsLeinster are going to win the world cup.
13 Go to commentsSuper Rugby desperately needs to lose at least 2, but up to 4 teams. Rebels quietly going bankrupt would have made that a bit easier. Teams like the Rebels and Force serve only to weaken Australian Rugby and Super Rugby more widely. In 13 years in the comp the Rebels are yet to win more games than they lose in a season, have never finished in the top half of the competition, and have come dead last a number of times. The Western Force, barring a brief stint of mediocrity under John Mitchell from 2007-2009 have been even worse. Sadly it’s hard to see a future for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. Likewise I think the writing is on the wall for the Highlanders, it’s hard to see how NZ rugby can continue to support 5 SR teams, and population distribution suggests one team in the south island would make the most sense.
42 Go to commentsNice that Connor Evans is happy to stay on here, that JD Schikerling is returning and Steven Kitshoff. Dobbo is careful to bring back just anybody but having a new financial lease of life, it has made the Stormers a more attractive club. On top of being good quality, having the financial backing helps a lot
1 Go to commentsEngland-qualified too, I believe.
1 Go to commentsThis might turn out to be emblematic of a real issue in Irish rugby. Ireland have one of the best -if not the best - senior sides in the world, and one of the best under 20s sides as well, but don’t seem to be giving graduating under20s players many opportunities to break through into URC starting lineups. There is a risk that a lot of the junior talent they are developing will either be wasted, or lost to other nations.
1 Go to commentsYou ask good questions, Nick. The group who have put together the proposal to play out of Tarneit and participate in the growing of the ground’s capacity are not a bunch of white knights who have been dragged in post-crisis; they were around whilst the Rebels accummulated $23m in debt. Why do we come up with ideas that might make the franchise affordable after it’s broke and not when it might have prevented the trainwreck this offseason was? As for Gordon/Kellaway v Lolesio/Wright, they are both good options. I think the former are better rugby players but the goal kicking of Noah may be decisive when Schmiddy makes his choices. I know Harry Jones has the hots for Edmed but I think it’s one of his few poor choices and he and Jorgensen aren’t close to the other pairs. By coincidence, the wife and I went into town over the weekend to watch Brian Cox and Patricia Clarkson in Long Day’s Journey into Night. Beautifully acted but it was 3.5 hours in the chair and very hard work. Like the Rebels, there were only small bursts of joy to go with a lot of bad news and a depressing story line. In the end, I was hoping it would end and I could give my sore butt a break. Again, familiar.
42 Go to commentsGood decision, very good player but not international quality. But so was Jamison Gibson Park …..
3 Go to commentsLoose forwards always look good going forward and winning. It’s the same loose forwards for the Crusaders and the Canes this year as last year. Too much of the shiny new things getting noticed here while older consistent ones getting bagged. It’s early days. Calm the farm.
6 Go to commentsThanks Nick, and on the money. We tend to be apathetic until something REALLY BAD happens, then we aren't! At least this applies to the Reb players and coach, if not the spectators. They seem to be getting very quick ball at times. Have they altered something, or is it just all of the skills coming together at the right time? It seems almost the opposite of the Reds, who started the season with quick ball, but haven't been showing that in the last 3 losing games. Is it attitude (McDermott hasn't looked “right” to me for 3 weeks), or something else?
42 Go to commentsGood summary. As said, Sevu Reece has been electrifying for the Crusaders. Great try and he has been everywhere. Amazing he is now equal with Caleb Ralph , club record of 52 tries for the Crusaders. That record beckons. Good to see Dallas McLeod getting regular starts at last. A big few weeks are ahead.
6 Go to commentsGood article/interview.As was said Christian Lio-Willie was barnstorming when he came on for the Crusaders. What happened at the end, self-explanatory.Captain fantastic Scott Barrett is due back soon as well, once they are back from Aussie. Great to see Ethan Blackadder back last week.
1 Go to commentsYou must have been watching one team, Andrew - and even then you missed the brightest star in the Chiefs pack - Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 2 turnovers, genuine line-out presence and grunt around the field, and the soft hands of a back.
6 Go to commentsHaha what a crock of sh!t these headlines are. Moorby’s best year was that first. Still doesn’t seem to have the same game about him as when he was fresh but has bounced back well this season to be playing consistent tight accurate footy
3 Go to commentsIt’s even dumber than Bernard Foley not kicking the penalty to touch in the Melbourne Bledisloe in 2022.
3 Go to commentsYes, they are traveling well but it’s early days. The Chiefs were in front with 20 to go while they snatched a last minute win v the Reds. Keep calm.
1 Go to commentsThe failure of the Irish system / rugby playing style to produce their own backs has them looking elsewhere for innovation and flair - not that Jordie has much flair. He’s a converted fullback. The Canes have plenty of other younger options.
13 Go to comments1.Watch Wallace Sititi be the wild card AB. A genuine full time no 8 2. Luke J like Sotutu has not delivered. 3. Chiefs have all the right cattle but badly miss the leadership of Webber. LJ is about as unconvincing as Sam Cane when under the pump. They had the winning of that game in the second half then fell apart.
6 Go to commentsYes the Rebels are showing signs of life because they are literally playing for their live -lihoods and thanks to their Australian attack coach. However they are still playing an essentially dull boring south african style for the rest of the time. And Geoff Parling must be the most useless lineout coach ever. Worse than Steve Hansen even. Interestingly we are starting to see more cheap shots and attempts to get away with cheating by Australian players, now they are being influenced by Joe Schmidt. It was exactly the same when Rennie started out as Wallaby coach and thru his tenure. Trying to teach Australians to play like kiwis doesn’t work, as the last 20 years has conclusively demonstrated. Especially when we are not as good at it as kiwis. Which of course is the whole idea …..
42 Go to commentsGreat signing, not sure where he’ll fit in though. As for him ‘playing alongside RG Snyman, that’s highly debatable given the likelyhood that the latter will spend most of the season on sick leave.
13 Go to comments