“We’d certainly encourage the genuine supporter not to lose faith in the team.”
FOR THOSE WHO are truly devout in the cult of the coach, belief remains unshaken and the heretics concerned by Ireland’s Six Nations wash-out must be speaking in tongues.
A common response during Ireland’s seven-week struggle was that it’s better to see all this unpleasantness play out now, rather than at the World Cup.
When any nation was ever offered a straight choice between the two is anyone’s guess.
A separate theory involves the most blindly robust faith and a belief that Joe Schmidt must surely be holding back his most prized powerplays for September and October. Perhaps it will remain a divine mystery until World Cup quarter-final weekend.
For now, all we can judge Ireland by is their performance over the past seven weeks and the inescapable shadow of their brilliant 2018.
Having beaten New Zealand for a second time, Ireland were second in the world and chasing first, they had every right to have a swagger about them moving into the new international season. Yet Ireland’s grand plan seemed to unravel as soon as they got that first punch in the mouth.
From the immediate post-match reaction all the way to Stuart Lancaster’s view yesterday, most are in agreement that the opening day humbling at home to England put Ireland out of kilter. But the most worrying thing was how – save for 60 minutes against a French side who are also far from their best – they never really recovered.
It’s concerning enough that this Ireland side are unable to overturn half-time leads, but what sort of brittle confidence exists in a side who is undermined and eaten away by a six-week old loss? Is there no way back in the World Cup if Scotland find a way to win in Yokohama?
We doubt there is any lack of confidence or steel about the determination and character of Ireland’s playing group. But they have looked incredibly uncertain about their purpose over the course of the Six Nations.
While he can be depicted as infallible at times, Schmidt made errors which extended far beneath the Cardiff roof – though playing in warm, humid conditions with a deafening home support would not have been the worst preparation for Japan.
From thrusting Robbie Henshaw back to fullback after molding him to be a gainline-making centre, to letting Sean Cronin take the fall for the performance in Rome while allowing others to play their way into form, there are clearly matters of man-management and judgement which could form a list of ‘work-ons’ for the outgoing coach.
The Kiwi doesn’t tell the media if he’s mulling areas of improvement in his own game, however. His infamous attention to detail is always focused on his players. It’s an approach that remains consistent when things are going well for his Ireland team and he was noticeably absent from on-field celebrations on the three occasions when Ireland had a trophy to parade.
He will look to his players now too.
Having Henshaw in midfield will surely make a difference. A fit Dan Leavy too. Devin Toner’s presence and calm experience at the line-out was for years a central tenet of Ireland’s pack and the plays they spring from it.
Most of all, Schmidt will hope Johnny Sexton can rediscover the form he showed before entering the Six Nations after a month out injured and without a competitive minute of rugby under his belt.
Schmidt chose to play him despite any doubts over his form or fitness, because the out-half has been the constant of all his success since leaving Clermont — from the Heineken Cup final comeback under the Cardiff roof in 2011 to the home win over the All Blacks which feels so much longer than four months ago.
With six months to run before the defining period of the World Cup, and far less actual preparation time, the head coach is not going to overhaul Ireland’s gameplan or tear up his favoured team-sheet, because he has been poring over this World Cup plan since the last one.
So Ireland will have to deliver more of the same, only better.
“There aren’t too many weeks where I don’t get a letter from somebody saying I should be picking this player or trying to do this in the game,” Schmidt said ahead of the win over Scotland this year.
“And that’s when we’re winning. When we lose, you expect three letters. A lot of people describe how we’re playing and what Plan A, B or C is.
We have a very varied game. We play strong off set-piece, we have a varied kicking and attacking game and we try to vary our defensive game.
“I’ll leave them to do their analysis and we’ll do ours and try to keep improving.”
Little over a month on and Schmidt sat in Cardiff attempting to spin a third-place finish into a positive while Warren Gatland celebrated another Grand Slam and the number two-ranking that came with it. Things had not improved.
Schmidt will depart the job at the end of the year having greatly increased Ireland’s standing in world rugby. As a man who built his reputation on details and a scientific approach, Schmidt more than anyone will know that blind faith alone won’t sustain the growth and iron out the creases so evident throughout the Championship.
It will take more than fresh set of powerplays. There is work to be done, mysteries to unravel and contingencies to be examined if Ireland are to break new ground at the World Cup.
Originally published at 14.16
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Quick straw poll there for people
In recent weeks who’s been doing worse at number 10
A – Johnny Sexton
Or
B – Theresa May
Answers on a postcard please
@Jim Demps: mate, give it a rest. He’s been poor but the way people are vilifying him is over the top. This time last year he led us (along with others) to a grand slam. PS May has my vote :)
@Danger: era go have a look for your sense of humour. There’s a lash of lads on the squad that need to improve, including the coach. I don’t think there’s anyone who thinks the recent performances are acceptable and there’s no doubt we will see improvements in the next few Irish games.
@Jim Demps: Another toughie. Whos has gotten further Theresa May in Brexit negotiations or CJ Stander over the gain line?
@Jim Demps: I thought you only ever want to talk about rugby and all slagging or “humour” etc is off the table?
@Danger:
Jim Demp is having delusions of granger (it is looking like he wants to start his own site) we don’t need him :: Or he wants a job here, God helps us ::He a has become a very bias poster as a lot of poster can see and it is showing more and more.
Johnny Sexton is one of our heroes that is going through a bad stage we should back him up and not try and hurt him. Murray is also one of our heroes and should get the same treatment This shows how much he has become a very nasty poster :: we all should ask him to please try and control himself
@Martin Quinn:
You dont do humor Jim
@Jim Demps: lets do another poll Jimbo. Who passed the ball more A- Conor Murray or B- Cj Stander. Think B just might sneak it
@Martin Quinn: Thats all well and good but when your two halves are completely off colour and obviously lacking confidence and game time they should have been replaced. In the pivotal positions that they play their uncertainty fed throughout the whole team and produced the middling to poor results that we got. You could allow for 1 or 2 bad games from them but 5 in a row. Professional sport is a cutthroat business and i dont think any other Manager in the home nations with the exception of Italy who dont have the players would have left them in the team.
@Martin Quinn: totally forgot I can mute you Martin, the amount of free space on this feed without your gibberish is going to be nice. You add absolutely nothing constructive to any of these threads and even when guys are trying to have a bit of a laugh like the banter between Jim demps and Willie you barge in with your totally uniformed garbage. Bye bye now
@Martin Quinn: I’d say pot meet kettle but your best friends at this stage
@Jim Lynch: i muted him ages ago. Saved me so much time trying to decipher his grumbling old man posts. I’ll summarise his next 100 posts and save you the time.
Grumble grumble :::::: Jim Demps:::::: Bias :::: Grumble Grumble. Coybib:::
@Jim Demps: haha yea he’s a beauty that’s for sure. I have him gone now so it’s back to business
@Michael McGrath: dead on
@Jim Demps: or you could as who the no 10 that’ll bring Europe to its knees in the next few months.
@Martin Quinn: it’s not the munster way to back an out half whose have a dip in form, give him loads of abuse and move on to the next one.
@William Finnegan: Rob Kearney tops the passing stats
@Chris Mc: sorry did you mean Ian Keatley who was with us for 8 seasons and is Munsters second highest points scorer ever with nearly 200 games for the province or did you mean Ian mcKinnely who played 6 times for Leinster and was left go after getting injured and then went on to be an international rugby player? Coz it doesn’t make sense if you meant Keatley wasn’t supported by the province? It’s an easy mistake to be fair, they both play outhalf.
@Eddie Hekenui:
Just a point Eddie do you see any problem with other posters and their bias posts . Calling someone “his grumbling old man posts.” that is ok but when anyone says something to him it is insulting. Yes I am old and I know you disagree with me on points but I never have a go at any of the players only the posters. I may want another player but never hit out at the player who I want to change. As being old (ok cannot dispute that) I have put so much of my life into this game that I love so well. I got depressed with the stuff that is going around after our poor 6 Nations. You see being old I have gone through the horrors of the 60s:: 70s :: 80s:: 90s :: and never thought we could get to this stage in the world:: that if we do bad in the WC I still will have the last 10 years to have remember. Sorry for being so long :: just love the game :: and lets all keep faith.
@Jim Demps: I remember hearing some players from the successful wasps team of the mid 2000 always saying you were allowed 1 bad game however 2 in a row and you’re dropped no matter who. If Sexton and Murray were dropped I actually believe they would benefit from it. Also imagine how Cooney Marmion Carbury and Carty feel I.e no matter how bad these guys get were still not gonna get a gig.
@Michael McGrath:
Would you like to go the world cup without Sexton or Murray. Do you think any of the 3 other S/H or any of the other 3 O/H will be of world class by the time of the WC comes around. Even if you played them in all the international left ?? Both of these players play in the most successful Clubs in Ireland and will be playing in all the big games coming up So their chances of getting better in the high pressure games to come will only be good for us and for them to play them back to the World players they are. Let’s keep the faith
ps
You are right they are off colour at present but let’s hope they get their MOJO back !!
@T Dawg: Kearney wouldn’t even pass if he was having a play about with his kids, still probably passed more than Conor tho
@Gareth Wogan: era its all trial and error. I’m sure if Schmidt had to start the tournament again he’d make the changes although losing carbery to injury probably hampered him a little bit. It’s natural enough for people to criticise these guys when they are disappointed.
@Martin Quinn: I’ve no problem with bias. It’s just the hypocrisy of you getting your knickers in a twist over a joke about Sexton when you went an another tirade about zebo yesterday. If you weren’t regularly doing that then youd have a decent standing to have a go but you’ve said far, far worse so you don’t have a leg to stand when you attack people for making jokes about players.
@Jim Lynch:
Good By my friend (even though you just started)
Good by Jim Demps GOD I will mess ou so much (you keep saying good by but keeep cominmg back ::make up your little mind and stop teasing me :)
Mr J lynch can I make a suggestion if you want to clear you post just mute Jim Demps and you will clear (on most days) 25% of the posts In one maritron he posted 28 posts in one artical :: defending himself :: and he says I do to much ::any way best of luck on your relationship
@Jim Demps: That joke has been doing the rounds since Saturday so hardly original there Jim… ye muppet.
@Jim Demps: I see Murray is over in Dubai with the missus. You’d be better worrying about him over sexton. He’s not worrying about his form anyway.
@Jim Demps: Ha ha very good Jim, comment of the day.
@Jim Demps: you mean the player who the IRFU would not allow to play rugby at any level? Yeah Leinster rugby paid out the insurance on his contract.
Not a single Leinster fan ever turned on him and I doubt even had a bad word said about him.
That’s was a nasty shot Jim.
@Gareth Wogan: Carbury? I’m sure he’s loosing the plot imagine not getting picked when your injured. I’d say he’ll never speak to joe again.
As for the other 3? The 2 scrum halves know well they are behind Conor Murray and while both are playing well at their very very best they are not as good as Conor.
Carty has been involved in his very first 6 nations has massive amount of camp time and has been capped. At the start of this season he’d have bite the hand off you to be in this position. I’m sure he’s gutted at how badly he been treated.
@Chris Mc: so he’s allowed to play international rugby and not for Leinster? There’s nothing nasty about it, just wondering if it was him who you were talking about. I’d imagine that it was the insurance company that paid out the claim, not Leinster.
@Chris Mc: Are you surprised? The guy is full of cheap little jibes like that but plays the martyr any time any backlash comes his way.
@Rocky Raccoon: I was actually wondering the other day if maybe his relationship has had something to do with his drop in form.
@Jim Demps: you know well at the time the IRFU would not allow the goggles don’t be silly Jim.
@Eddie Hekenui:
Eddie again I say I don’t have a go at players but at posters.
You stated “you’ve said far, far worse” then J D joke you could be right but you know it is more to it then Jim with a joke. I don’t understand why you support him so loyally . In your posts you are always straight and the is one of the reasons why I respond to you as your opinion is important to me. Your attachment to him I cannot understand (unless it is the Munster thing)
Eddie again I say I don’t have a go at players but at posters. Zebo is my weak point and will no longer comment on any of his things that the 42.ie bring up to generate posts
@Jim Demps: Jim your a blind idiot
@Jim Demps: that’s a ridiculous comparison Jim as the equipment (goggles) that allowed McKinley to play again weren’t invented and approved until after he was in Italy coaching.
@Jim Demps: not so original Jim, about a week old or so. Bit boring actually. With Carbery injured and the mistake of leaving Ross Byrne out of the squad I don’t see that Joe had much choice… Sexton clearly an unhappy bunny but we need him firing for WC as there is no replacement for a firing Johnny Sexton in this squad
@Martin Quinn: thats not what i said. Of course i want a firing on all cylinders half back pairing of Sexton and Murray going to the world cup but the 6 Nations was in the now and in this championship they were extremely poor and it sends a bad message to other players if they are considered untouchable. Schmidt was ruthless with Cronin why should the 2 boys be any different .
@Michael McGrath: Maybe Schmidt should ask Joachim Löw for some tips on giving young players a chance!
@Jim Demps:
That post was a wonderful example of one of your nasty cheap little jibes, The player you are using to have a go at Chris, is a hero to a lot of Rugby fans. He got a terrible injury and we all thought he could not play Rugby again.
ps
Of course the insurance company paid out but it was Leinster’s insurance Company who they pay:: you knew that but anything to defend your use of a great Rugby hero’s name
Irish fans and journalists are making me cringe at the moment. A “wash out” is an exaggeration. They could have won the tournament if not for the last game. And commenters slagging their own players need to get a life. These players are better athletes than 99.99% of the human population. They aren’t going to win everything. It’s not too long ago that Ireland were regular wooden spooners. People need to manage their expectations
@Rudiger McMonihan: I agree, the Irish media can’t seem to get the balance right. After we beat NZ, the reaction was equally exaggerated.
@Rudiger McMonihan:
You are so right. I remember when we won a Triple Crown (a Munster Prop carried the whole Irish pack over the line for the winning score) there was a Crowd invasion of the old Lansdowne Rd pitch. That was just for a Triple Crown !!! God :::we forget easley don’t we !!
@Rudiger McMonihan: what you say is true. When you think back to last year, sexton’s drop kick against France made our season. If he had missed that who’s to say how the rest of the season would have gone. Small margins
Don’t think Henshaw would have made any difference to us at all. Aki wasn’t really to blame in any game and was consistent. Henshaw is verging on over rated abd is worryingly injured alot of the time
@jl: henshaw takes it up and bring ringrose into the game. No one’s blaming Aki but the backline didnt work and it was ringrose, Stockdale or Earls where the plays broke down.
@jl: he’s a far better passer than bundee, that makes us more dangerous in attack. He’s probably the best 12 in the world, he’s not overrated
@Conor Heneghan: Big Henshaw fan, but saying he’s the best 12 in the world is a bit hyperbolic imo. Aki has been fairly consistent and don’t think he did much wrong up til now, but he wasn’t great in the 6N. Henshaw just needs to get back playing regularly, hopefully he gets a bit more luck.
@Conor Heneghan: passing wasn’t the problem in the backline. It was the complete lack of plan of attacks with relentless first receiver crash ball and no linking. A complete break down in the coaching dept.
@Cormac Ó Braonáin: Which is why I’m hoping we have some new stuff locked away for safe keeping.
Ireland have improved phenomenally under Schmidt and we’ve had a great run to take us to second in the world, this is truly wonderful! I can remember the 70′s when we were picking up the six nations wooden spoon on a regular basis. Now, we’re expecting to win games and expecting our stars to shine always. Reality may be different but then we may need to change our stars.
As mentioned in another track, is history repeating itself? EOS & DK played old faithfuls until it hurt the Irish team, unfortunately Joe seems to be doing much the same. Unless he’s got something up his sleeve and the six nations was a decoy, though I can’t imagine him having a weak 6 nations on purpose.
Anyone remember the last year or two performance from ROG before he stopped playing (when Sexton was trying to get a look in)? Could there be a resemblance to Sexton’s game, including the flare ups/losing the head? Ireland need to pick teams based on form and when not in form, put another player in the mix, just like Wales does. We can’t wait till the person disintegrates and is a liability on the pitch.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing and if Ross Byrne and John Cooney were in the mix I feel we could have had a better outcome than we had, IMHO. Not that I begrudge Marmion but think Coonery deserved to play against Wales, or Marmion/Coonery scenario, without Murray. While Murray wasn’t playing to form Cooney was only getting 3 & 4 minutes per game, except for the France game, not really confidence building.
Now we have a big challenge, how can we put together a winning team before the WC? I think Sexton & Murray need lots of game time in the Pro 14 to get them fit and confident and ready for the WC. If form doesn’t pick-up then we have to consider Carbery/Byrne and Marmion/Cooney/McGrath. It’s not a panacea for success but these are the two main positions for controlling the game.
@Con Cussed: You make some good points. I remember ROG’s last few days in an Ireland shirt alright, it’s a shame his career ended the way it did by Kidney. But I guess it showed us one thing – professional sport is very ruthless and if you’re not up to it anymore, then there will always be someone to take your place. That’s the nature of the game. However, I think it’s very premature for all of the naysayers on here to be writing off Sexton – he was voted the best player in the world for a reason, and he’ll be back. Players are allowed play badly, and they will recover form. He’d a bad end to 2017 season, and a bad start on the subsequent Lions tour but played his way back into form. That didn’t quite happen in the 6N, but his travails were reflected in the team as a whole. It’s unfortunate he bears the brunt of criticism.
RE Murray, it’s obvious he’s not quite where he was either. I genuinely think it f this wasn’t a World Cup year, and he was coming back off the injury he’s had, then he’d have been left out of the 6N squad and allowed to come back in his own time with Munster. Timing dictated he had to be involved it appears.
With both Sexton and Murray, their form and undoubted class warranted them being persisted with as they have consistently delivered time and again for their clubs, country and the Lions over the last few years. They’ve earned it. But looking how they played, hindsight would suggest Cooney should have been given more minutes than he actually got.
As soon as Carbery got injured, it was unlikely that Schmidt would just thrust Carty into starting 10 in pressure games vs France or Wales away so he had to stick with Sexton. Need we be reminded of when Jackson was put in at 10 vs Scotland in his first start in similar circumstances and he took a while to recover from that poor performance.
I do think some evolution will have to occur with some of the certain starters maybe not so nailed on anymore, but hopefully this is a learning experience for all of the squad and they’ll be back better for it. Still optimistic for a good World Cup, believe!
@Tase Jansey:
Both you and Con have stated some good points . But at this stage our only hope of doing well is to get our truly WORLD CLASS players to get back on form. It takes years for players to become Wourld calss number 9 and a world class Number 10. So my logic is we need then to get back on form , the rest of the players will not be of that standard.
So what do we have ::the Pro 16 ::the HC Cup:: and the warm up games ::will it be enough ::I believe so , we have a good idea what has to be done …. I believe Joe is a very good coach and will find the way ::
Lets all keep faith
@Martin Quinn: Yeah absolutely, keep the faith as you say. The two boys will be back and Schmidt’s successes speak for themselves, he’ll deliver for Ireland.
Lose a few battles to win the war! Some laugh if this was all a decoy and Joe turned around and won the Webb Ellis. Hardly unlikely but for the conspiracy theorists it is a beauty … :-)
@David A Roberts: there’s no way joe sent the team out to play poorly but if anyone thinks he sent the team out with the tactics both in attack and defence that we’ll use in the World Cup you don’t know joe. His World Cup plans i’d say are well and truly kept under wraps.
How can a team go from the best ever Irish performance in history versus New Zealand in November to the shambles of the 6 Nations all in less than 6 months ?
As with most things there are many causes……
Joe Schmidt has taken us to the heights and achieved one of his life’s ambitions by coaching a team to beat the AB’s twice. He then makes a mistake by announcing his retirement and takes his foot off the pedal when he sees the end line after 6 very intense years of round the clock effort dragging Ireland to excellence.
Injury to key components has meant no Toner the Titan on which our line out functions and no Henshaw . Murray a shadow of his former self and Sexton undercooked /misfiring and poisoning the karma of his teammates with his childish unsporting outbursts.
Lost confidence. Every team of people needs to be confident to succeed and England’s blitz on day one was a deep trauma which was compounded by JS ‘s loss of touch, the absence of Toner and Henshaw and the very ordinary performances of keys Murray and Sexton who had taken us to the heights.
Lost Joy and cameradrie — the mojo has been misslaid fun and joy have dissapeared and perhaps infighting and bickering which we dont see have come in their place.
what to do ?? enjoy the break from each other and refresh while JS and his brains Trust develop a revised revamped strategy for the World Cup to retake the the high ground lost in the 6 Nations. We have the ingredients to succeed but must restage and re-energise our wonderful team.
@John Chamney:
Great post John::: And they have the Pro16::and the H C Cup :: and the warmup games to get it together :: if not let’s hope the others jump out of the que with their hand up !
!
The knives have come out for Schmidt surprisingly quickly when it was generally agreed upon that we’d have taken a win over New Zealand in November along with a sub-par Six Nations rather than a defeat and another Six Nations title.
It shows the real undercurrent of frustration with his rigid gameplan and handling of the Zebo situation thats been waiting to erupt for a while.
@Rochelle: the fact that Zebo got about 35 caps and done very very little in those games. But yet you think a winger who’s not as good as Earls or Stockdale even if he was playing in Ireland would not make the team would have made the difference in this 6 nations?
@Chris Mc: He’s our best fullback and can play as a second receiver option which was desperately needed to take some of the pressure off Sexton.
Saying he did “very very little” when he participated in winning a six nations and scored a try in our first ever win over New Zealand is outright ridiculous.
@Chris Mc: Agreed, this had nothing to do with Zebo. He wasn’t in line to play irrespective if he stayed or went. Great that his form has improved since moving, means it was the right decision for him. However, he’s made his decision with full knowledge of the consequences. I wish him well but he won’t be playing for Ireland, at least not in the short term.
@Rochelle: played more times for Ireland and scored less tries that ferg McFadden. Best full back who’s won nothing Rob Kearney is a winner time and time again.
@Rochelle:
I was going to compare Zebo record and Rob Kearney but there is too much to put down on here as RK has won everything Club and Country and Zebo has done well for us but in comparison to RK ::if you know what I mean ::would Zebo be on the Irish team (maybe ) good player and he is with a top team now
Personally I have advocated for a long time that JS does not use his bench properly imo and is very slow/reluctant to do so. He ( buck stops with him after all) gave Sexton and Murray 5 games to find form, they didn’t. So as a back up your thinking “well doesn’t matter how good I play I’m not going to get a chance am I” which is great for confidence. So imo Schmidt needs to stop blaming and start admitting unless he firmly believes he’s right and if that’s the case well Ireland had a brilliant 6N played our best ever rugby.
@©️⚙️NNA©️HT6️⃣6️⃣: joe completely to blame, didn’t give his bench enough respect.
@©️⚙️NNA©️HT6️⃣6️⃣: tell me who is playing so well that we should drop our world class half backs? Players who have won 23 out of 26 games for Ireland and competitions for club and country over the past 3 seasons?
@©️⚙️NNA©️HT6️⃣6️⃣:
You seem to know what the bench thinks are you sure ?? You say you have been saying for a long time that joe does not use his bench and disrespect them. Well (If I was a bench player) I would be so happy to be on th squad of 23 with an Irish jerisey on.
By the way ” I have advocated this for a long time ” wher have you done that ::you handal is new to this site :::
@Chris Mc: You must be joking? Marmion and Cooney are playing great. Ross Byrne is on fine form and is directing Leinster. There are halfback options while Sexton and Murray get back to form, which they need to do. You can righly argue they are not the same level as Sexton/Murray, but two under performing halfbacks is not worse?
@Chris Mc: Why are you talking about won 23 out of 26 games? Most of those games are in the distant past. They have won 3 out of the last 5 and lost the only two that were any way difficult.
I do think three reaction had been ott but to say lads should not be dropped because of what they have done is a nonsense. The lads who perform best should be picked and when guys lose form they should be dropped. Gatland is a master at this but successive Irish mamagers seem to keep blind faith for some reason.
@Martin Quinn: I don’t need to express my every opinion in here to have not being advocating my opinions on Joe Schmidt for a long time , now do I!!
@Martin Quinn: I don’t have to express my opinions on this forum to have not been advocating my opinions on Joe Schmidt for a long time, now do I !!
@Chris Mc: Yes I’d drop them and have whom ever is next in line, regardless of number of caps, because like Sexton and Murray before when they were next in line, you have to move forward you have to progress, you have to, you just have to see what others can do. My original point is just that and that I, my own opinion, think JS is way too slow/inactive to whats in front of him.
@©️⚙️NNA©️HT6️⃣6️⃣:
Just wondering about you and your past ::because I care !!
I think a bit of perspective is needed when looking at our Six Nations performance. Completely exaggerated by the media as usual, as our exploits 12 months ago were. Yes we played poorly. But we came third. We won three games, and lost two, against England and Wales in Cardiff. Yes we should have done better, but we do not need to drop half our team for the World Cup. Schmidt is not a fool and will no doubt understand what is required to deliver a successful World Cup performance, which is the priority.
egg egg egg egg egg egg egg egg egg egg egg egg egg egg egg egg
EGG EGG EGG EGG EGG EGG EGG EGG EGG EGG EGG
@Martin Quinn:
Sorry but my Granddaughter got on the computer ::but looking at this it makes more sense than some posters
A bad team doesn’t become a good team overnight. And the reverse is also true. Roll on Japan. Onwards and Upwards.
Remember when Pat Lam gave notice he was leaving Connacht? He lost the dressing Room!
@Liam OhArgadain: Gatland gave notice too…
No harm at all, the lads aren’t gods, they are athletes and giving their all.
COYBIG.
I would just like to say that “In Schmidt we Schmidt” amen.
Think a few of the team let themselves down with their performances, mainly the spine of the team unfortunately. Too many to soak up without making it very difficult for the team to perform. Best, OBrien, Stander, Murray, Sexton & Kearney vrs wales.
Also in my opinion our game plan is so low risk and predictable we will struggle to claw back a lead. We were still box kicking on our 10m line when we couldn’t buy a catch from a winger…
Once our hard carries are soaked up and v England dominated (wales messed at the ruck) we are found out with slow ball.
Hopefully a review and slight refresh of how we play will pay off for the WC. Also, players might find some badly needed form.
Rugby fraternity tend to exaggerate the positives and the negatives. The players themselves tend to be more level headed. In any event the six nations teams had plenty of time to study the Ireland game plan and work out how to counteract it. I presume Ireland will now study the tactics used by the other six nations teams before the World Cup and develop strategies to deal with them.