IRELAND’S RECORD AGAINST France has taken on an increasingly positive look since Joe Schmidt assumed the position of head coach.
The Kiwi has three wins in three games against the country he called home during his years as an assistant coach at Clermont. Even in the two years before Schmidt was appointed Ireland boss, Declan Kidney had seen his side draw twice in a row with the French.
Schmidt's players take over for yesterday's captain's run. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Ireland’s most recent defeat to les Bleus is as far back as 2011, when François Trinh-Duc and Cedric Heymans scored tries in a 26-22 victory in Dublin during the build-up to that year’s World Cup.
The French view is that Ireland are well overdue a beating. The heavy concern is that Schmidt has their number tactically and in terms of motivating his players, something which has been more apparent with each of those three meetings.
Indeed, one article in yesterday’s edition of biweekly rugby newspaper Midi Olympique dubbed Schmidt “the grand Satan of French rugby,” such has been his devilish ability to get the better of les Bleus.
This is not all about the head coach, however. Ireland’s players might insist there is still fear in a trip to Paris, but it’s respectful lip service in truth.
Of course there is a recognition that they cannot afford to come up short in emotional intensity and physicality today [KO 2.25pm], but this is a confident and composed group with utter belief that they are better prepared than France.
Rory Best is a fine example of how these Irish players’ relationship with the French has changed. From 2007 until 2011, he lost six of seven games against les Bleus - the only win admittedly coming in the Grand Slam year of 2009.
Since 2011, Best has been part of that upturn against the French and hasn’t tasted defeat.
“I suppose when I first started out, for the provinces to win big games in England and France was kind of a bit of a hope and a prayer,” says Best when asked about that change.
“You hoped to get across the line or get a bit of luck somewhere, whereas some of the younger generations coming through now, they all of a sudden expect to win, it doesn’t matter if you’re home or away.
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Ireland were in encouraging form at Stade de France yesterday. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
“That spreads into the international squad, especially the last two and a half years under Joe. He doesn’t expect your performance to dip. Ireland sides were always capable of big, big performances.
“Produce a big performance one week and allow it to drop off the next. It was something that we talked about two and a half years ago, that Ireland were seen as a big performance team but inconsistent.
“That was one of the things we wanted to address first and foremost. It’s something that the provinces had before that and that now we’ve brought it to an international jersey.”
Best is stressing that Ireland’s upturn in record against the French hasn’t really got anything to do with les Bleus, rather that the shift in mindset enforced by Schmidt means more positive results across the board.
The vibe around the Ireland squad yesterday was positive as they carried out a short captain’s run at Stade de France. Johnny Sexton led a discussion on the game plan, before a bit of light-hearted walking tip. Their opposition video analysis has been as diligent as ever, now it’s about themselves.
Recent memories here are strong, with a frisson of excitement running through the likes of Best, Johnny Sexton, Dave Kearney, Andrew Trimble, Devin Toner, Rob Kearney and Jamie Heaslip as they took to the same turf where they secured their 2014 Six Nations title.
There is, of course, an awareness that Ireland went through 28 barren years before Brian O’Driscoll’s majestic hattrick inspired the 2000 win in Paris, as well as another 13-year losing streak at Stade de France up until the 2014 title clincher.
The French media fear Schmidt's brainpower will win out again. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
That history will always be there, but it’s increasingly irrelevant for Schmidt’s Ireland.
Assistant coach Simon Easterby, who was part of that incredible 27-25 victory in Paris in 2000, suffered four defeats in five games away to the French during his playing days, but recognises that the mentality in travelling to France has changed.
“I think the success of ’09 and then the last couple of years, it’s a combination of things,” says Easterby. “I think we went through a period of coming close to winning things but we didn’t maybe have that mentality or killer instinct that the side has maybe had over the last couple of years.
There probably was a period, 28 years, where we hadn’t won in Paris from 2000 to the time before. There has been a little bit of a shift in mentality, not just against the French, but other teams we may have struggled against in the past.
“That’s credit to the players and their drive and ambition. It’s not going to make it any easier coming here, but I think there’s confidence within the squad that if we get things right and prepare properly and prepare well, like we have done, we are going to be very, very competitive. In the past that might not have been the case.”
Even with a six-day turnaround and bruised bodies, the grand Satan of French rugby will be confident of striking again.
France v Ireland [KO 2.25pm Irish time]
France:
15. Maxime Medard
14. Teddy Thomas
13. Maxime Mermoz
12. Jonathan Danty
11. Virimi Vakatawa
10. Jules Plisson
9. Sebastian Bezy
Ireland and the 'grand Satan of French rugby' have no fear of Paris
IRELAND’S RECORD AGAINST France has taken on an increasingly positive look since Joe Schmidt assumed the position of head coach.
The Kiwi has three wins in three games against the country he called home during his years as an assistant coach at Clermont. Even in the two years before Schmidt was appointed Ireland boss, Declan Kidney had seen his side draw twice in a row with the French.
Ireland’s most recent defeat to les Bleus is as far back as 2011, when François Trinh-Duc and Cedric Heymans scored tries in a 26-22 victory in Dublin during the build-up to that year’s World Cup.
The French view is that Ireland are well overdue a beating. The heavy concern is that Schmidt has their number tactically and in terms of motivating his players, something which has been more apparent with each of those three meetings.
Indeed, one article in yesterday’s edition of biweekly rugby newspaper Midi Olympique dubbed Schmidt “the grand Satan of French rugby,” such has been his devilish ability to get the better of les Bleus.
This is not all about the head coach, however. Ireland’s players might insist there is still fear in a trip to Paris, but it’s respectful lip service in truth.
Of course there is a recognition that they cannot afford to come up short in emotional intensity and physicality today [KO 2.25pm], but this is a confident and composed group with utter belief that they are better prepared than France.
Rory Best is a fine example of how these Irish players’ relationship with the French has changed. From 2007 until 2011, he lost six of seven games against les Bleus - the only win admittedly coming in the Grand Slam year of 2009.
Since 2011, Best has been part of that upturn against the French and hasn’t tasted defeat.
“I suppose when I first started out, for the provinces to win big games in England and France was kind of a bit of a hope and a prayer,” says Best when asked about that change.
“You hoped to get across the line or get a bit of luck somewhere, whereas some of the younger generations coming through now, they all of a sudden expect to win, it doesn’t matter if you’re home or away.
“That spreads into the international squad, especially the last two and a half years under Joe. He doesn’t expect your performance to dip. Ireland sides were always capable of big, big performances.
“Produce a big performance one week and allow it to drop off the next. It was something that we talked about two and a half years ago, that Ireland were seen as a big performance team but inconsistent.
“That was one of the things we wanted to address first and foremost. It’s something that the provinces had before that and that now we’ve brought it to an international jersey.”
Best is stressing that Ireland’s upturn in record against the French hasn’t really got anything to do with les Bleus, rather that the shift in mindset enforced by Schmidt means more positive results across the board.
The vibe around the Ireland squad yesterday was positive as they carried out a short captain’s run at Stade de France. Johnny Sexton led a discussion on the game plan, before a bit of light-hearted walking tip. Their opposition video analysis has been as diligent as ever, now it’s about themselves.
Recent memories here are strong, with a frisson of excitement running through the likes of Best, Johnny Sexton, Dave Kearney, Andrew Trimble, Devin Toner, Rob Kearney and Jamie Heaslip as they took to the same turf where they secured their 2014 Six Nations title.
There is, of course, an awareness that Ireland went through 28 barren years before Brian O’Driscoll’s majestic hattrick inspired the 2000 win in Paris, as well as another 13-year losing streak at Stade de France up until the 2014 title clincher.
That history will always be there, but it’s increasingly irrelevant for Schmidt’s Ireland.
Assistant coach Simon Easterby, who was part of that incredible 27-25 victory in Paris in 2000, suffered four defeats in five games away to the French during his playing days, but recognises that the mentality in travelling to France has changed.
“I think the success of ’09 and then the last couple of years, it’s a combination of things,” says Easterby. “I think we went through a period of coming close to winning things but we didn’t maybe have that mentality or killer instinct that the side has maybe had over the last couple of years.
“That’s credit to the players and their drive and ambition. It’s not going to make it any easier coming here, but I think there’s confidence within the squad that if we get things right and prepare properly and prepare well, like we have done, we are going to be very, very competitive. In the past that might not have been the case.”
Even with a six-day turnaround and bruised bodies, the grand Satan of French rugby will be confident of striking again.
France v Ireland [KO 2.25pm Irish time]
France:
15. Maxime Medard
14. Teddy Thomas
13. Maxime Mermoz
12. Jonathan Danty
11. Virimi Vakatawa
10. Jules Plisson
9. Sebastian Bezy
1. Jefferson Poirot
2. Guilhem Guirado (captain)
3. Atonio Uini
4. Alexandre Flanquart
5. Yoann Maestri
6. Lauret Wenceslas
7. Yacouba Camara
8. Damien Chouly
Remplaçants:
16. Camille Chat
17. Rabah Slimani
18. Eddy Ben Arous
19. Paul Jedrasiak
20. Loann Goujon
21. Maxime Machenaud
22. Jean-Marc Doussain
23. Hugo Bonneval
Ireland:
15. Rob Kearney
14. Andrew Trimble
13. Jared Payne
12. Robbie Henshaw
11. Dave Kearney
10. Jonathan Sexton
9. Conor Murray
1. Jack McGrath
2. Rory Best (captain)
3. Nathan White
4. Mike McCarthy
5. Devin Toner
6. CJ Stander
7. Sean O’Brien
8. Jamie Heaslip
Replacements:
16. Richardt Strauss
17. James Cronin
18. Tadhg Furlong
19. Donnacha Ryan
20. Tommy O’Donnell
21. Eoin Reddan
22. Ian Madigan
23. Fergus McFadden
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