Ireland's goalkicking percentages have been low in the World Cup so far but kicking coach Mark Tainton is not worried yet, writes GERRY THORNLEY

THESE THINGS are relative, but of all the Irish coaches who perhaps have most to fret about at the moment, kicking coach Mark Tainton could be considered uppermost amongst them. As one of 10 goal-kickers averaging less than 50 per cent in the formative stages of the tournament, Jonny Sexton is in good company (there’s another bloke called Jonny in the same bracket) but even so, his 36.3 per cent return in two games has to be a concern.

“To say I would be concerned is an overstatement,” maintained Tainton yesterday. “I mean, we always want our kickers to be up to 80 per cent, as both our kickers have probably been over the years.”

Tainton cited Sexton’s two second-half kicks before handing over the duties to Ronan O’Gara as ‘pleasing’. “I know he hit the post with one but in terms of technique it was right back to where it was meant to be, and in all his training sessions he’s very relaxed in what he’s doing.

“It’s not affecting him or his actual rugby. We try to separate rugby playing from kicking. If the kick goes over, fantastic, if it doesn’t then you just go back into game mode, and he’s done that really, really well when the kicks haven’t gone 100 per cent for him.”

That certainly appears to be the case, which is a sign of the kind of mental strength O’Gara possesses. Conditions have also been very tricky in the two games Sexton has played, especially against the USA, while Australia’s James O’Connor also missed a couple of first-half penalties at Eden Park. Nonetheless it must be annoying him. “I’m sure there’s some kind of bother there, but he’s working hard and he’ll get it right. I’ve got no issues with him about getting it right.”

Thus far, Sexton has landed four kicks from 11, and on foot of being asked when a sequence of missed kicks becomes a mental issue, Tainton said it depended on the mental strength of that player.

“After every first kick, you just try and go back to the process every time. They’re kicking lots and lots of goals in training, and they don’t always kick every kick in training, but then just moving on to the next kick, no matter where you are on the field, you go back to that process. And as long as you trust in that process – you don’t try and change things in that training session – it will come right. Both Ronan and Jonny are mentally strong characters and I have total belief in their belief, and I don’t see a massive issue.”

Sexton initially remained as goalkicker after moving to inside centre when O’Gara joined the fray last Saturday, but after his fourth miss – albeit off the post – the kicking duties were handed over, apparently at the behest of Tainton.

“He kicked it really, really well but it just pulled away. And I just decided then it was an opportunity to put Ronan (on them) because Ronan has been kicking very, very well in training, and he’s tried and tested, and he stepped up to the mark. His first kick was superb and his second was a bit of a ‘gimme’.”

The goal-kicking issue hasn’t cost Ireland yet, but it’s hard to win a World Cup without a high ratio of accurate goalkicking. “It is very important,” acknowledged Tainton, “and I still believe it is a strength of ours. I know our percentages are down but I don’t see us staying in that position – I think we’ll pull them up quite quickly.”

There has been much speculation as to why goal-kicking ratios are so strikingly down, with conditions, pressure and the Gilbert World Cup ball all offered as possible explanations. The ball is, reputedly, the same as has been used in training and in the Six Nations, but Tainton offered one possible reason.

“The only theory I’ve got there is the markings on the ball are slightly different. So the targets they’re actually aiming for are different from the balls they’re used to. When you’re playing with a Six Nations ball or in another competition, you’ve got the same markings on the ball, time and time again, and you can pick that point out. That’s the only thing I can think of why they’re mis-striking the ball sometimes.”

Yesterday was a down day for the squad but prior to their hour-long coach journey north to Rotarua yesterday O’Gara and Sexton did some goal-kicking practice with Tainton at 9.30am, but that would also be the case in a Six Nations week as well. They will do some more today and at the match venue, the Rotarua International Stadium, but nothing more than normal. Evidently, there is no crisis.

The journey took in typically eye-catching, diverse and lush countryside, with plenty of forests, lakes and streams, and rolling hills, one of which was painstakingly decorated with the words “Go Abs”, which is made of tyres, to the geyser springs and thermals of Rotarua.

Furthermore, under clear blue skies, the temperatures were in the high teens, and there was a carnival-like atmosphere in the normally sleepy Rotarua.

To some of the squad’s amusement, the Irish management and travelling media engaged in their customary football match on tour. After 12 years of hurt, with the help of some new signings (such as ITV’s Alan Quinlan) the media had their day in the sun, albeit on penalties after a scoreless draw, including extra time. Not exactly the beautiful game.