“I THINK WE have to get a win. That’s the bottom line.”
After a run of four games without a victory, Joe Schmidt admits he can sense the external pressure on Ireland.
Schmidt leads Ireland's training session yesterday. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
His team selection and the decisions over Ireland’s bench options were met with disappointment yesterday, but a first win in the 2016 Six Nations tomorrow against Italy is the one and only priority for the Kiwi.
Those hoping that Schmidt would take the shackles off and send out an experimental team to face the Italians, the weakest team in the competition, will be left wondering what might have been.
Instead, Schmidt has opted largely for tried-and-trusted combinations, most notably in midfield, where Jared Payne’s return means Stuart McCloskey drops out of the matchday squad after his debut in Twickenham two weekends ago.
Fergus McFadden is included on the bench for his versatility, while the calls for Paddy Jackson to be included have been ignored. With confirmation of this match day 23 came immediate criticism of the perceived conservatism of Schmidt in blooding younger players, but the Ireland head coach was well-prepared as always.
In my two and a half years we’ve used 66 players. 21 of them were uncapped,” said Schmidt at Carton House. “Sometimes I get confused about what else you need to build into developing players.”
He was ready too for queries about the specific selection decisions cited above, bluntly dismissing the notion that he had any awareness of the calls for Payne to be shifted to 15 for this game in order to allow McCloskey another Test start.
“I don’t know what calls there were on the outside.”
In truth, it would be rather worrying if Schmidt was influenced by the wishes of outsiders in selecting his team, though he has always been swift to admit that he makes as many mistakes as any of his players do on the pitch.
Though despondency has crept in among a portion of Ireland’s supporters after this run of four games without a win, that is partly borne out of the high expectations created by back-to-back championship wins in 2014 and 2015.
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The Ireland coach was well prepared for most questions yesterday. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
“It’s frustrating and disappointing,” said Schmidt of the current season, “but at the same time I’m still energised by the opportunity that we have left in this championship.
“If we win our two games, then we still have a chance to finish in the top half. Now, we don’t control all the elements of that; but there’s still lots to play for. There’s still lots for players to play for, there’s opportunities to travel to South Africa in the summer and then there’s a huge autumn awaiting us.
“In the context of what we’ve got coming up in 2016, there’s still so much to play for that it’s hard not to be enthusiastic and energised by it and that’s the next two weeks and beyond.”
Whatever about Schmidt’s enthusiasm or fine record in giving new players Ireland caps, the sense that he is missing opportunities with his selection for this Italy game is inescapable.
Josh van der Flier wins his second cap and Ultan Dillane will do so off the bench too, but the absence of McCloskey will rankle for many.
Given that the main point IRFU performance director David Nucifora took from his World Cup review was Ireland’s need to create a greater level of genuine depth, surely this game was the opportunity to build more of that?
“It would be great to give some of the youth an opportunity this weekend,” said Schmidt. “But, we’ve tried to do that throughout the tournament in different games and give them some experience with some experience around them.”
“If that balance isn’t dead right, then it may be that Kieran Marmion comes on this weekend and he has Johnny there. I just feel that’s a situation that makes Kieran Marmion’s job a bit easier in his championship debut so there are aspects of it that we’re just trying to balance, I guess.”
Schmidt indicated that he believes Champions Cup rugby gives back-up players a chance to build experience of high-level rugby, while also citing the fact that Jackson, Ian Madigan and Ian Keatley – using the out-half position as an example – all played in the Pro12 last weekend.
In addressing the same point, Schmidt also underlined the fact that sometimes what is behind a first-choice player lost to injury or retirement is not of the same quality.
Schmidt chats to his backline ahead of the clash with Italy. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
“One of the things you can’t suddenly do is make someone as accomplished as the player who is currently there,” said Schmidt. “Paul O’Connell is finished with us.
“We are not suddenly going to have someone who is as good as Paul O’Connell, because in a generation of players, he is a standout player. To have those players and replace them is incredibly difficult.
“We lost Brian O’Driscoll after the Six Nations two years ago, so we had to make sure we had someone who was able to take his place. But he wasn’t going to be Brian O’Driscoll. So you try and develop individuals to be the best they can be and no player is exactly the same, so they don’t offer exactly the same things.
“One of the things Johnny Sexton offers us is that experience of organising the team around the pitch. With a number of inexperienced players or players who have just come back in because the team has changed a lot during the Six Nations, to have a little bit of continuity in key positions every week becomes much more important.”
In terms of those not available for Ireland selection at present, Schmidt mentions that he keeps in touch with the likes of Iain Henderson, Tommy Bowe, Peter O’Mahony and Sean O’Brien regularly, with a view to their re-integration for the South Africa tour in June.
However, Schmidt also stresses that the opportunity for those currently in the team, and those selected to face Scotland in the final round of this Six Nations, is to make a starting place their own.
“The challenge for the guys this weekend and next is to say, ‘Well they’re names outside the squad. I want to be in the squad. I want to grab the jersey.’ Hopefully, we see evidence of that on Saturday.”
Given the importance that has been placed on winning this weekend, Schmidt was asked whether there is a minimum Six Nations finishing target in his contract with the IRFU. For the first time, he appeared unprepared.
“There might be. To be honest, I haven’t looked, to be honest. I don’t know, I don’t know [laughs]. To be honest, I just work as hard as I can to prepare the players as best I can. If there is something there, I know there used to be… It’s despairing when I have to ask you guys about my contract!”
Schmidt says he remains enthusiastic about Ireland's future. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Here, his media officer stepped in to suggest that IRFU honorary treasurer Tom Grace budgets for fourth place.
“Well lads, we could still get into bonus territory but we don’t control all those elements,” said Schmidt with another laugh. “But I tell you what, whatever happens in the next two weeks, I think there has been investment made by the players in themselves, to develop themselves.
“I think people are probably seeing evidence of it, even if the final piece of the puzzle didn’t quite get placed in the right manner. If we can keep building the puzzle through these next two games, I’m certainly enthusiastic about what the future may hold beyond that.”
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Schmidt feels the pressure but stresses optimism for Ireland's future
“I THINK WE have to get a win. That’s the bottom line.”
After a run of four games without a victory, Joe Schmidt admits he can sense the external pressure on Ireland.
His team selection and the decisions over Ireland’s bench options were met with disappointment yesterday, but a first win in the 2016 Six Nations tomorrow against Italy is the one and only priority for the Kiwi.
Those hoping that Schmidt would take the shackles off and send out an experimental team to face the Italians, the weakest team in the competition, will be left wondering what might have been.
Instead, Schmidt has opted largely for tried-and-trusted combinations, most notably in midfield, where Jared Payne’s return means Stuart McCloskey drops out of the matchday squad after his debut in Twickenham two weekends ago.
Fergus McFadden is included on the bench for his versatility, while the calls for Paddy Jackson to be included have been ignored. With confirmation of this match day 23 came immediate criticism of the perceived conservatism of Schmidt in blooding younger players, but the Ireland head coach was well-prepared as always.
He was ready too for queries about the specific selection decisions cited above, bluntly dismissing the notion that he had any awareness of the calls for Payne to be shifted to 15 for this game in order to allow McCloskey another Test start.
“I don’t know what calls there were on the outside.”
In truth, it would be rather worrying if Schmidt was influenced by the wishes of outsiders in selecting his team, though he has always been swift to admit that he makes as many mistakes as any of his players do on the pitch.
Though despondency has crept in among a portion of Ireland’s supporters after this run of four games without a win, that is partly borne out of the high expectations created by back-to-back championship wins in 2014 and 2015.
“It’s frustrating and disappointing,” said Schmidt of the current season, “but at the same time I’m still energised by the opportunity that we have left in this championship.
“If we win our two games, then we still have a chance to finish in the top half. Now, we don’t control all the elements of that; but there’s still lots to play for. There’s still lots for players to play for, there’s opportunities to travel to South Africa in the summer and then there’s a huge autumn awaiting us.
“In the context of what we’ve got coming up in 2016, there’s still so much to play for that it’s hard not to be enthusiastic and energised by it and that’s the next two weeks and beyond.”
Whatever about Schmidt’s enthusiasm or fine record in giving new players Ireland caps, the sense that he is missing opportunities with his selection for this Italy game is inescapable.
Josh van der Flier wins his second cap and Ultan Dillane will do so off the bench too, but the absence of McCloskey will rankle for many.
Given that the main point IRFU performance director David Nucifora took from his World Cup review was Ireland’s need to create a greater level of genuine depth, surely this game was the opportunity to build more of that?
“It would be great to give some of the youth an opportunity this weekend,” said Schmidt. “But, we’ve tried to do that throughout the tournament in different games and give them some experience with some experience around them.”
“If that balance isn’t dead right, then it may be that Kieran Marmion comes on this weekend and he has Johnny there. I just feel that’s a situation that makes Kieran Marmion’s job a bit easier in his championship debut so there are aspects of it that we’re just trying to balance, I guess.”
Schmidt indicated that he believes Champions Cup rugby gives back-up players a chance to build experience of high-level rugby, while also citing the fact that Jackson, Ian Madigan and Ian Keatley – using the out-half position as an example – all played in the Pro12 last weekend.
In addressing the same point, Schmidt also underlined the fact that sometimes what is behind a first-choice player lost to injury or retirement is not of the same quality.
“One of the things you can’t suddenly do is make someone as accomplished as the player who is currently there,” said Schmidt. “Paul O’Connell is finished with us.
“We are not suddenly going to have someone who is as good as Paul O’Connell, because in a generation of players, he is a standout player. To have those players and replace them is incredibly difficult.
“We lost Brian O’Driscoll after the Six Nations two years ago, so we had to make sure we had someone who was able to take his place. But he wasn’t going to be Brian O’Driscoll. So you try and develop individuals to be the best they can be and no player is exactly the same, so they don’t offer exactly the same things.
“One of the things Johnny Sexton offers us is that experience of organising the team around the pitch. With a number of inexperienced players or players who have just come back in because the team has changed a lot during the Six Nations, to have a little bit of continuity in key positions every week becomes much more important.”
In terms of those not available for Ireland selection at present, Schmidt mentions that he keeps in touch with the likes of Iain Henderson, Tommy Bowe, Peter O’Mahony and Sean O’Brien regularly, with a view to their re-integration for the South Africa tour in June.
However, Schmidt also stresses that the opportunity for those currently in the team, and those selected to face Scotland in the final round of this Six Nations, is to make a starting place their own.
“The challenge for the guys this weekend and next is to say, ‘Well they’re names outside the squad. I want to be in the squad. I want to grab the jersey.’ Hopefully, we see evidence of that on Saturday.”
Given the importance that has been placed on winning this weekend, Schmidt was asked whether there is a minimum Six Nations finishing target in his contract with the IRFU. For the first time, he appeared unprepared.
“There might be. To be honest, I haven’t looked, to be honest. I don’t know, I don’t know [laughs]. To be honest, I just work as hard as I can to prepare the players as best I can. If there is something there, I know there used to be… It’s despairing when I have to ask you guys about my contract!”
Here, his media officer stepped in to suggest that IRFU honorary treasurer Tom Grace budgets for fourth place.
“Well lads, we could still get into bonus territory but we don’t control all those elements,” said Schmidt with another laugh. “But I tell you what, whatever happens in the next two weeks, I think there has been investment made by the players in themselves, to develop themselves.
“I think people are probably seeing evidence of it, even if the final piece of the puzzle didn’t quite get placed in the right manner. If we can keep building the puzzle through these next two games, I’m certainly enthusiastic about what the future may hold beyond that.”
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