YOU CAN HEAR the excitement in Joe Schmidt’s voice when he talks about Ireland’s upcoming Six Nations campaign, but you can sense the nerves too. When he was announced as coach of the national team in April last year, he was still the Leinster boss with Pro12 and Amlin campaigns to complete.
Then, when he eventually took the reins with Ireland, there was the small matter of New Zealand and the November Test to contend with.
Now, at long last, he can focus on the Six Nations.
“I’m nervous. It’s been eight months coming since I had a little bit on my plate prior to really taking up the mantle.
“It has been a long time coming since New Zealand really. Those two months have taken a long time. Since we have been together those two weeks have flown by.”
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Spending time in camp has allowed the 48-year old to take stock of his troops and build the confidence again after the heart-breaking defeat to New Zealand the last time they were all together.
“I think it is a case of maximising our time together but at the same time not extending the time you are together, especially not on the field so you don’t flatten players. You want them going into games a little bit excited, a little bit fresh and at the same time pretty well organised and functional as a group. That’s part of the balance we have tried to work through for the last two weeks and hopefully that will be in evidence on Sunday.”
The Kiwi isn’t looking beyond the game with Scotland though, despite the six day turnaround before Ireland face Six Nations champions Wales.
“We probably didn’t do too much on the Welsh. It is probably that we gave ourselves a little bit of a heads up because we will only get Tuesday/Thursday next week to organise ourselves for the Welsh. We had a little bit of a look at them early on in the week but the back half of the week was Scotland focused and this week has been entirely Scotland focused.
“One of the advantages of playing on Sunday is that we have a longer week, so we get a little bit more of a run at the Scots as opposed to a short week which we have got against the Welsh. It is going to be very very tough because they play tomorrow, they have an eight day turnaround and they will recover and probably get two full trainings in as opposed to one.
“But to be honest it is the least of my worries now. I want to get a few things right on Sunday.”
If Ireland are to beat Scotland, Schmidt won’t be relying on his side to reach the emotional highs hit during the game with New Zealand.
“I think one of the difficult things is you can not be emotionally at your peak, week-in, week-out.
“Inevitably we are human and there are emotional highs and lows and you don’t want to have a trough at all during the Six Nations. Can you win a game and mix a really highly emotive performance with a highly accurate performance?
Balance
“I think that is what you are looking for. If you are trying to survive purely on passion, you are inevitably going to make errors at times, you are going to be over-anxious, over-eager and maybe fall on the wrong side of the referee.
“So it’s just getting that balance and hopefully to be honest the players bring the intensity and they have an idea of the expectations that are out there for them and they want to meet those expectations.”
Win, lose or draw on Sunday, Schmidt expects the team will still have lots to work on in the build up to Wales.
“I’d never be happy. I think there is always something we can improve on and so, without being too grumpy or negative I think we are in a reasonably good place but the evidence of that will be demonstrated on Sunday and post Sunday we will try take ourselves forward from it.
“It’s hard to make some sort of prognostic at this point especially with me, I am a little naive as well. I am getting to know the players and the more you work with a group of players the more you know when they are ready to fire. I’m more hopeful than certain because I am always a little bit unsure.”
‘I’d never be happy, there’s always something to improve’ – Schmidt
YOU CAN HEAR the excitement in Joe Schmidt’s voice when he talks about Ireland’s upcoming Six Nations campaign, but you can sense the nerves too. When he was announced as coach of the national team in April last year, he was still the Leinster boss with Pro12 and Amlin campaigns to complete.
Then, when he eventually took the reins with Ireland, there was the small matter of New Zealand and the November Test to contend with.
Now, at long last, he can focus on the Six Nations.
“I’m nervous. It’s been eight months coming since I had a little bit on my plate prior to really taking up the mantle.
“It has been a long time coming since New Zealand really. Those two months have taken a long time. Since we have been together those two weeks have flown by.”
Spending time in camp has allowed the 48-year old to take stock of his troops and build the confidence again after the heart-breaking defeat to New Zealand the last time they were all together.
“I think it is a case of maximising our time together but at the same time not extending the time you are together, especially not on the field so you don’t flatten players. You want them going into games a little bit excited, a little bit fresh and at the same time pretty well organised and functional as a group. That’s part of the balance we have tried to work through for the last two weeks and hopefully that will be in evidence on Sunday.”
The Kiwi isn’t looking beyond the game with Scotland though, despite the six day turnaround before Ireland face Six Nations champions Wales.
“We probably didn’t do too much on the Welsh. It is probably that we gave ourselves a little bit of a heads up because we will only get Tuesday/Thursday next week to organise ourselves for the Welsh. We had a little bit of a look at them early on in the week but the back half of the week was Scotland focused and this week has been entirely Scotland focused.
“One of the advantages of playing on Sunday is that we have a longer week, so we get a little bit more of a run at the Scots as opposed to a short week which we have got against the Welsh. It is going to be very very tough because they play tomorrow, they have an eight day turnaround and they will recover and probably get two full trainings in as opposed to one.
If Ireland are to beat Scotland, Schmidt won’t be relying on his side to reach the emotional highs hit during the game with New Zealand.
“I think one of the difficult things is you can not be emotionally at your peak, week-in, week-out.
“Inevitably we are human and there are emotional highs and lows and you don’t want to have a trough at all during the Six Nations. Can you win a game and mix a really highly emotive performance with a highly accurate performance?
Balance
“I think that is what you are looking for. If you are trying to survive purely on passion, you are inevitably going to make errors at times, you are going to be over-anxious, over-eager and maybe fall on the wrong side of the referee.
“So it’s just getting that balance and hopefully to be honest the players bring the intensity and they have an idea of the expectations that are out there for them and they want to meet those expectations.”
Win, lose or draw on Sunday, Schmidt expects the team will still have lots to work on in the build up to Wales.
“I’d never be happy. I think there is always something we can improve on and so, without being too grumpy or negative I think we are in a reasonably good place but the evidence of that will be demonstrated on Sunday and post Sunday we will try take ourselves forward from it.
“It’s hard to make some sort of prognostic at this point especially with me, I am a little naive as well. I am getting to know the players and the more you work with a group of players the more you know when they are ready to fire. I’m more hopeful than certain because I am always a little bit unsure.”
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