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Forget the bus, Schmidt's Ireland have a point to prove after 'wake-up call'

The Ireland head coach says his squad must stay positive as they bid to bounce back.

WE THOUGHT THE issue of Ireland arriving late to Murrayfield had been firmly put to bed, but then Joe Schmidt brought it up yesterday at Carton House after naming his matchday squad to face Italy this weekend.

After a question about challenging his team to start better, Schmidt mentioned that “there was a bit of anxiety in not having the full period to warm up” at Murrayfield.

Joe Schmidt Schmidt and Ireland travel to Rome this weekend. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Conor Murray, sitting alongside Schmidt, insisted that being late to the stadium was not an excuse for Ireland’s performance.

Other players backed that up yesterday, and Rob Kearney said immediately after the Murrayfield defeat that it would be “a little bit weak-minded to use excuses like that.”

Clearly arriving late to a stadium on match day is absolutely not ideal, but if it’s under 10 minutes in the difference, it surely shouldn’t still be an issue five days later. So why refer to the bus being late, if it’s not an excuse?

“I’m not sure that I’ve mentioned the bus at all,” says Schmidt.

Ok, that the warm up was affected…

“It’s not an excuse, but it’s something that’s a good challenge for us. As I said, it’s good to be challenged, even in our preparation, and be adaptable and be able to cope with it.

“There was a question about solutions; one of the solutions for us is to be put in positions where we feel a bit of insecurity and a little bit of pressure and be able to cope.

“Unless you get put in those positions, unless you’re put out of your routine, you don’t know how you’re going to cope.”

Clearly Ireland didn’t cope with the challenges of last weekend perfectly, but Schmidt feels his squad are better equipped after the losing experience. That was one of the themes of his review of the Scotland defeat – players learning how better to handle what is thrown at them in Test rugby.

The defeat to Scotland is not only on the players’ shoulders, of course, though it seems to have been at times in the past week.

Coaches are culpable when a team loses as well, just as they take equal credit – sometimes more credit – when there is success.

Joe Schmidt Schmidt with his backs at Carton House yesterday. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Schmidt has about as much credit as a coach could have in the bank, but it’s interesting to hear how he and his backroom staff reviewed their own performance after last weekend.

“The process is that we individually go through and review the game and then we get together,” say Schmidt. “We try to stay solutions-based, to be honest. All we can do once something has happened is try to solve it or build upon it so that it doesn’t re-occur, if it is negative.

“Inevitably, you try to find some positives because if we go into review and we say, ‘That’s no good, that’s no good, you were no good there,’ all you do is probably adversely affect the confidence of players.

“We still have got a lot of young players in the group and the last thing you want is for them to lose their confidence because if you have not got the confidence, you are going to hesitate. You’re not going to be sure what you are going to do and, if you hesitate, someone like Stuart Hogg is going to go past you.

“It is a balance and we are pretty tough on ourselves. We try to think how we could have set the week up better, how could we have done something to probably start better or finish better or whatever.”

The word ‘anomaly’ came up once or twice in Schmidt’s session with the media yesterday and it’s certainly how Ireland are viewing their start in Scotland last time out, as they look to make a statement early on against Italy tomorrow in Rome.

“There are very, very few times in my three and a half years doing this job that we’ve started sluggishly like that,” says Schmidt. “The last time [against Argentina in 2015], we were shorn of so much experience and there was a real anxiety then, that I understood it more.

“I’d hope that last weekend is an anomaly and that this weekend we get back to being accurate from the start and probably demonstrate  the ability to be on the front foot from the start, because we certainly weren’t last week.”

Schmidt did also stress that there was equal disappointment within the Ireland set-up that they got into a 22-21 lead and failed to close out a game that was there for the taking.

That is, perhaps, the biggest issue of all to arise from last weekend. Plenty to fix.

The mood after Ireland’s defeat in Edinburgh was naturally one of despondency, but the championship is not gone yet.

Jamie Heaslip and Simon Easterby Forwards coach Simon Easterby gets stuck into a mauling session. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Schmidt isn’t promising anything, although the head coach certainly hasn’t given up hope.

“I don’t think it’s ever the worst thing [when Ireland lose], it just feels like the worst thing at the time and I know one of you guys said we might win the Six Nations but lose our first game.

“Well, I hope you are right because I’d love to win the Six Nations and I know the players would and maybe that is the wake-up call.

“I don’t think there’s anyone who’s machine-like enough to have a performance every time that is top-drawer, so unfortunately you might have one or two players who don’t have a great day and the other players get us over the line.

“We’d a few players who weren’t far off, there wasn’t someone who had a catastrophic performance, but you don’t have to be far off at this grade.”

Players and coaches. Everyone has a point to prove in Rome tomorrow.

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‘Angry’ Irish players eager to make amends, says Murray

Bench power and more talking points from Ireland’s XV to face Italy

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    Mute Ed Byrne
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    Feb 10th 2017, 7:41 AM

    Ive great respect for this man. He is tough as they come but not a dirty player. He never take a backward step and he is a consistently good player.

    I wish he played for Leinster!

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    Mute Brian Les
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    Feb 10th 2017, 7:47 AM

    Always plays with huge intensity and aggression. Himself and POM were missed last week.

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    Mute Bazalicous Dunne
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    Feb 10th 2017, 9:40 AM

    He’s a class act and yes me too I’d love him at leinster.. if only he’d been from a few miles north of Nenagh he could have been a leinster player!

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    Mute Dave Barry
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    Feb 10th 2017, 7:51 AM

    Definition of a team player. I thought himself and Toner had a good partnership over the November series and was surprised, like many other people, that he wasn’t starting against Scotland. But as he says himself that’s in the past, time to move on for that game now.

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    Mute Gearóid Collins
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    Feb 10th 2017, 8:15 AM

    The man has a serious point to prove tomorrow and I have no doubt he’ll do it. Wish him all the best, great player and seems a top bloke

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    Mute Johnny Mc Donnell
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    Feb 10th 2017, 8:33 AM

    It seems Joe has an injury excuse ready for any player he drops now Henderson has a hamstring issue.. Ryan was dropped last wk end of story. Him and pom would have been the difference last week they never show up to a game without that mad passion

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    Mute Liam Flague
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    Feb 10th 2017, 9:09 AM

    Agreed. It seems Joe is willing to spout whatever bullsh*t he wants to entertain the media and not he questioned. A medial ligament injury wouldn’t rule you out for one week and back in the next. Just be honest and say the man wasn’t selected. I’m sure these players have been dropped before and are tough enough to deal with the fall out in the media Off topic but one wonders what is actually wrong with sexton coming from these lies…..

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    Mute james
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    Feb 10th 2017, 9:12 AM

    Take the tinfoil hats off lads niggles happen all the time.Why risk a player we have squad depth for once.

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    Mute Fionn Bohane
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    Feb 10th 2017, 9:24 AM

    @Liam I reckon half of sextons problem is his mentality, he’s had so many injuries and knocks on the head it has to be in the back of his mind. It might not be such a bad thing as Jackson is getting some much needed game time at the moment and he’ll continue to improve. Hopefully the few weeks off for sexton will have him rearing to go for the next 3 games.

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    Mute Liam Flague
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    Feb 10th 2017, 9:46 AM

    @fionn I agree with what you’re saying 100% As for you @james did you not read the article properly?? Murray asks did he feel fit enough to start? “I suppose we’ll never know now” “I’m in great shape now so luckily I got the nod this week” To me that says I wasn’t injured

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    Mute bobby henderson
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    Feb 10th 2017, 9:20 AM

    Joe is a very good tactician/coach no doubting that but as a selector he is bland and just uninspiring,
    When gatland blooded BOD Darcy Horgan ogara and stringer it turned out to be a golden age of players,
    If joe was selecting around that time only one of the above would make it into the staring XV as the experience wouldn’t be right in the backline, ogara prob wouldn’t of made the squad as paddy Wallace was more “versatile” so would of been bench pick for humphryes,
    Maggs was a solid 12 so BOD and Darcy would have to fight it out for 13 and girven Dempsey would still be getting caps to this day as he was fullback and ya can’t drop them!
    Obviously all of that was hyperbole but easy to imagine as it’s true to joes logic
    Nothing like a 42 rant to wash down the coco pops !!

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    Mute Fionn Bohane
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    Feb 10th 2017, 9:50 AM

    That was nearly 20 years ago , players are a good 3/4 stone heavier now and stronger than ever. Byrne, sweetnam , carberry etc are on the light side even ringrose is smaller than most. Imagine bringing in 4 or 5 uncapped players against any of the tier1 teams. They’d be absolutely annihilated. They need time to bulk up these days. Look at John Ryan , he’s 28 and only beginning to make strides in his international career. The 6 nations isn’t the best place to try blood so many youngsters. I agree that it’s a bit uninspiring but he is building for the future , it just takes a bit more time with us as we’ve one of the smallest pools to pick from. Before anyone says sure what about the all blacks , rugby is like a religion over there and doesn’t have gaa and soccer to compete with.

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    Mute bobby henderson
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    Feb 10th 2017, 9:57 AM

    A very good argument man, but it does have small holes , stu stu mckloskey and ohalloran are plenty sizeable and have shown consistent form and talent for a few seasons,
    But the basis of what your saying makes huge sense as in it’s a different era so changes willy nilly will be punished , but a bit of trust isn’t a big ask,
    Eddie jones has Haskell and tom wood to pick from and his back row has injuries so logically he should steady the ship with experienced heads but yet he’s picked 3 inexperienced exciting back rows with about 10 caps between them against wales !?!?
    My first comment was just an over exaggerated rant but it does carry some weight and can be considered to have some merit

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    Mute Aaron Buckley
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    Feb 10th 2017, 10:12 AM

    Back to the cereal Bobby as that’s all snap, crackle and pop. Gatland inherited an Irish team that was barely professional and half a shambles. O Gara and BOD etc stood out a mile and he literally had nothing to lose by blooding them. We were already at the bottom of the heap.
    Schmidt is in an entirely different era of professionalism where we have built and progressed in club and country now for the past 15 years. Furthermore Schmidt keeps on capping new players and giving them their chances!
    We have Henshaw and Ringrose as centres, we have JVDF and Dillane fighting for their places. These are all guys in their early 20s.
    Furthermore he brought Joey Carbery to Chicago to play the All Blacks.
    A young lad with a handful of Leinster caps and barely even has the physique yet for Test rugby.
    Schmidt trusts in youth or good form when he sees real talent there he’s just not rash about it

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    Mute Fionn Bohane
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    Feb 10th 2017, 10:19 AM

    The two players you’ve mentioned, are still young and I’ve no doubt that O’Halloran will see lots of game time in the next few years. Trimble and Kearney won’t be around much longer. This time last year everyone was shouting for ringrose to be in the team and sure enough after working within the Irish set up he was in it by November. You’ve henshaw Payne(when fit) and now ringrose ahead of mccloskey so I don’t see where he could fit in and with earls capable of filling in if needed. One of those inexperienced English players is Itoje, stander and vdf could both be considered as inexperienced as them. Saying all that I would like to see Joe be a little less conservative in his choice of squads.

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    Mute Fiachra Ahern Esq
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    Feb 10th 2017, 9:51 AM

    It’s an absolute farce that he wasn’t playing last week. He has been brilliant this season for Ireland and Munster.

    Another selection Schmidt got wrong. It is becoming a norm now. Munster have the best pack in Europe this season and he only picked one last week. Madness

    I can guarantee if he was a Leinster player there is no way he would be dropped.

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    Mute Gary
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    Feb 10th 2017, 10:14 AM

    @Fiachra Ahern Esq: A positive article about a great player and some muppet uses it to have a go at Leinster. Well done Fiachra.

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    Mute Kevin O'brien
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    Feb 10th 2017, 6:04 PM

    Fact! But be careful because I was abused royally.

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    Mute Padraig Kelliher
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    Feb 10th 2017, 9:30 AM

    Ryan was an obvious change that needed to be made and should probably have played last week. My worry is that there were other obvious changes needed that weren’t made. These probably won’t get exposed by Italy and cracks will papered over again. Opportunity lost I think

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    Mute John Slade
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    Feb 10th 2017, 12:54 PM

    Exactly what’s needed in the second row. Hope he can last until England.

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    Mute Trevor Dunne
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    Feb 10th 2017, 12:05 PM

    Leads by example.

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    Mute John Carey
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    Feb 11th 2017, 1:26 AM

    Donnacha Ryan is a really physical and aggressive second row. He’s definitely been one of the best locks in Europe over the last few months. He brings a lot of experience and leadership in the maul and line out which Ireland really lacked last week. Hope he plays a stormer against in Rome and reminds Joe Schimdt that he’s the best second row in Ireland at the moment . I’d like to see him be in the Lions tour squad despite the competition.
    Henderson is a great ball carrier but his partnership with Toner doesn’t work and he’s not as physical or mobile

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    Mute Peter Vincent
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    Feb 11th 2017, 3:34 AM

    Ryan is a savage and deserves his place. Schmidt has blooded plenty of young players. Putting a Ohalloran into a back line with Jackson, ringrose and Henshaw would be madness, though I agree that he probably deserves to be there on form. Unfortunately for him form is not the only thing to be taken into consideration. There has to be an blend of youth and experience for international rugby and we are already testing the limits of that in our backline!

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    Mute Des Creedon
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    Feb 10th 2017, 9:28 AM

    Ireland really misses that aggression and overall doggedness when there’s no POM or Ryan in the second row. It becomes in their absence a far too professional partnership that plays off percentages rather than fighting for every ball and generally annoying and niggling every phase the opposition are constructing.

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