Rugby: Time to up success rate for Blues first five

Stephen Brett is aiming to get up round the 85 per cent success rate which accompanies the top international kickers. Photo / Getty Images

When Stephen Brett goes through his goalkicking practice he does not have any superstitions. Nothing like leaving after a successful strike or nailing a certain percentage before he heads for the showers.

Generally the Blues marksman has a couple of training sessions a week where he tries 20 attempts from a range of areas and distance. Much more than that and he feels his concentration and quality slips.

This season he has kicked at a shade under 70 per cent success rate. It is satisfactory but Brett is aiming to get up round the 85 per cent mark which accompanies the top international kickers.

Brumbies sharpshooter Matt Giteau is running at 92 per cent success this season and next best among the regular kickers is Ruan Pienaar with 83 per cent. Others with fewer appearances or who have had less attempts, like Peter Grant, Andy Goode and Burton Francis, have high success rates.

Willie Ripia has a 72 per cent success, Daniel Carter is clicking over at 74 per cent this season, Israel Dagg at 77 per cent and Stephen Donald is the best of the regular New Zealand kickers at a percentage point higher.

In the last round in generally decent conditions, those kickers all struggled.

"It was weird we all seemed to be missing them and I know I had one of those," Brett said. "Other than that I feel I have been striking the ball well and have been happy with the way it is going. I have to keep working on it all the time but I am pretty sure I have got my mental preparation sorted out and it is a matter of being focused every time I kick. Being picked for each game and kicking, that sort of consistency has helped me with my kicking rhythm."

Brett said it was a case of sifting through the technical and mental habits needed for the job, finding a regular routine and then being focused on each individual task. Goalkicking for him was like lineout throwing for his captain Keven Mealamu.

It was all about having definite ideas, concentration and practice.

"It is like Daniel Carter would say. It is a matter of getting every kick over and getting that success rate up," Brett said of his former teammate and master kicker. "I like goalkicking because I think it adds to a five-eighth's repertoire."

Brett has pulled on the No 10 jersey in every game for the Blues this season as he and halfback Alby Mathewson have settled into their regular combination.

"I'm enjoying it but we need to win the next five games. I feel like I have grown into my game and trying to control these boys round the field. They want to run it, that is the way the Blues go and I am getting used to it but I want to get them to the right end of the field."

Communication remained a critical onfield weapon and he was getting used to another voice in Luke McAlister in midfield. Brett said he made most of the calls but also relied on other information from Benson Stanley about defence. Sometimes his teammates went a little quiet and had to be reinvigorated.

Brett had played provincial rugby against David Hill some years ago before both five-eighths went their different ways.

He noticed the Force had changed their patterns in the last few games. They had held on to the ball more and had peeled off several victories.

"They are a team that has nothing to lose and they will throw everything at it. They have been getting good players back from injury, they are key figures in their team and if we don't shut them down they will be hard to beat."

Brett was unaccustomed to the sudden-death programme facing the Blues if they were to squeeze into the playoffs. "We are not panicking, it is a game-by-game programme," he said.

"They are must-wins but we have the game structures to be able to do that. It is a matter of putting it in place on the field. We need to do that properly and this game is a big starting point before we go away to South Africa."