VERN COTTER AND Joe Schmidt have had some fascinating battles since the latter left Clermont in 2010, but their two meetings in the Test arena have seen Schmidt emerge with victory.
Ireland even had a party at Murrayfield after their resounding win in Edinburgh on that memorable final day of last year’s Six Nations.
Ireland and Scotland’s World Cup warm-up meeting last August was a much tighter affair, as the Scots showed their growing threat in attack with three tries during a 28-22 defeat. Cotter’s men returned from the subsequent tournament with their confidence utterly boosted.
Of course, it took some time to get over the disappointment and anger at the manner of their quarter-final exit at the hands of Australia and Craig Joubert, but this is very much a Scotland team on the rise.
After relatively narrow defeats to England and Wales in the opening rounds of the current Six Nations, Cotter’s side have been impressive in wins over Italy and France. Fullback Stuart Hogg has led their thrilling brand of attacking rugby and it appears that Cotter will take on Ireland’s Schmidt from his best position yet.
The Kiwi pair first worked together at Bay of Plenty, when Schmidt assisted the man four years his senior. They parted in 2004, Cotter for the Crusaders and Schmidt for the Blues, before Cotter got the head coaching role in Clermont in 2006 and lured Schmidt to France a year later.
They guided Clermont to their first Top 14 title in 2010, but thereafter Schmidt was ready to be his own master and moved on to make history with Leinster and then Ireland.
The long background between Schmidt and his old mate ‘VC’ makes Saturday’s clash at the Aviva Stadium all the more interesting, particularly given that the Scots look like more of a danger to the home side than they have done for some time.
Surely Schmidt has been able to provide his players and fellow Ireland coaches with many insights into Cotter’s mind?
“You could say that about Vern as well, he’s had the same insights into how Joe sees things,” said Ireland assistant coach Richie Murphy yesterday at Carton House.
“I would say going back through the years, Vern shaped Joe in some ways in those early years, but he’s obviously moved on a lot since then. We definitely get an insight into some of the stuff they’re going to do and how he wants to play the game. There is definitely an advantage for us there.
“But I would say if you were sitting in Scotland and asking the same question, they would probably give you the same answer.”
Ireland and Scotland have used a number of similar, even identical, strike plays since Cotter had taken over as head coach. One imagines himself and Schmidt sitting with a bottle of wine and a block of saint-nectaire in Clermont-Ferrand years ago constructing starter plays.
It will be intriguing to note how much double bluffing is built into both teams’ set-piece moves on Saturday. He knows that I know that he knows…
“When we go into all the matches, most teams would understand what kind of strike plays the opposition use,” said Murphy by way of shrugging off that idea. “Most teams will then try and adjust and play different options off similar set-ups.
“In relation to Vern and Joe, I don’t think that’s something they’ll be trying to second-guess each other on. If you look through international and even club rugby, the strike plays don’t change too much.
“The actual detail that’s within them doesn’t change that much, it’s the guys that do them best are the guys that know when to pass the ball, who know how to change a line. That kind of stuff is what makes a difference between them.”
If execution is to be the decisive factor, and not coaching acumen, then Ireland have every reason to be wary of these Scots.
While Ireland’s nine tries against Italy brings them to 11 in total in this championship, three more than the Scots have amassed so far, Cotter’s side have shown their ability to convert chances into scores.
That was long the issue for Scottish rugby, a profligacy in the opposition 22, but the likes of Hogg, Tommy Seymour and Tim Visser are now showing a more prolific edge.
“They’re definitely one of the better ones we’ve seen over the last four or five years,” said Murphy of this Scotland squad.
“There was less than seven points between them and England and between them and Wales. They had both of them under a lot of pressure. They had a very good win against France for the first time in a long time.
They’re coming in on the back of two wins. It is probably the first time they’ve been in this situation for a long time, they look like they’re in a decent position.
“For us, things don’t change that much. We’ve got a way of approaching all these games. We’ll be concentrating on getting those nuts and bolts right in order to be able to do something similar to what we did last weekend.”
Schmidt and Cotter will keep the niceties to a minimum before Saturday, but it is somewhat heartening to know that there is still room in the game for the two masterminds to share a bottle in the aftermath.
This guy is completely overratted
@jay bernard: don’t know how he warrants a contract of that size given his achievements in the game. He needs to start scoring regularly especially if the Wissam Ben Yedder rumours are true. WBY is a real fox in the box, Deschamps really rates him.
Best goal tally for 21 and under in the EPL, La Liga & Seria A in what was a shocking season under two different managers. 200k going to 300k based on incentives. Manchester born and bred. He’ll turn out to be some player yet
An absolute joke.
It’s 200k a week max as per Simon Stone – reliable United journo
@Brian: and you think that even £200,000 is acceptable for a player that scored 10 league goals last season. He’s English!!! He has been overhyped and overrated since they Day he broke into the first team by the British press, £200,000 per week for a very average player that would be more suited to playing for a team like Newcastle, Everton or Southampton. Mid table player at best, that shouldn’t be earning anything over 100,000 never mind 200,000 or 300,000.
@Devilsavocado: And eventually he will be destroyed by the British press too, I wish Utd would sell him on now
Beans Beans Beans
@Alan Brazil: is all you eat. Stand well back!
The club is a circus. Run by clowns who aren’t football men
@munsterman: and if you look at the nonsense that ich bin Brendan has been scribbling up there, it seems they are supported by a few clowns as well…..
@Devilsavocado: haha! G!mp
@Ich bin brendan: come on,, seriously mate, you really don’t believe the nonsense that you were writing in your previous posts do you?? There isn’t a club that finished in the top 5 above Utd that the lad would get into as a first team player. Not a single club that will be in the champions league next year had a bit of interest in buying him, he’s at best a bench player for Utd, but a 200,000 a week bench player??? WTF is going on at Utd that they offered that much money to him?? Where else was he going to go, they easily could have halved that and even then he should still consider himself lucky to be wearing the Utd jersey,, come on, I can’t be the only one who sees this….
@Devilsavocado: quit looking for validation. I’ll correct myself in that he didn’t score v pool in their 3-1 spanking but everything stated is fact inc. turning the best rb inside out and scoring in every debut. Barcelona were being touted as making an official approach, how much of that is being true is as truthful to say not a single team were, it would take a team of that stature to pull a local lad away from his local team. Apart from Kane for Spurs there isn’t a top 5 team that would produce an academy player like him. 200,000K is daft money but that’s the state of the club atm, not many want the Glazers there but that’s what they’re working with. I’m delighted he’s there for another 4 yrs, he’s got the wage now it’s upto him to start earning it, I believe he will.
@Ich bin brendan: ok fair enough, you have your opinion on the matter and people that actually know a bit about football have there’s. Let’s be honest here, I doesn’t matter that your opinion is obviously that of a delusional fan that can’t look at things without your fan glasses on but that’s ok,, we will leave it there and I’ll let you get back to your colouring book and crayons, there’s a good boy,, don’t stay up to late… :) validate myself, ha ha ha ha ha..
@Devilsavocado: “that actually know a bit about football” you have me stumped, you’ve trouble validating your opinionated drivel. “Ha ha ha” like I said before, G!mp
He’s got to start delivering on his promise . A lot of cash for a man still not scoring regularly but he does have the potential to be an absolute world class player I just hope he does start getting 30 odd goals a season .
On his debut he’s scored 2 in the EPL, same in his Europa, 1 Champions league and on his derby debut. Also turned the best rb in the country inside out to score against their biggest rivals, with the golden glove winner in goal!
@Ich bin brendan: can throw in his debut in the EFL & FA Cup as well. So every cup comp available to him. Calling him over rated is being bias, he’s proven he’s capable, needs consistency with age.
Reminds me of Ian Rush
His nose is offside
Even as a man utd fan, I think he doesn’t deserve this, prove your worth then get the money, he didn’t prove anything last season to deserve half this money.