We might be the top team but All Blacks are side to beat: Schmidt
CONTINUED FROM BACK
Schmidt continued: “I said at the time, we’d won three of the five Six Nations, we didn’t need another one of those.
“We need a semi-final in this big competition coming up.
“If you try to chase everything, I don’t know if you’ve done too much farming but if you try to chase the whole herd all you end up is chasing.
“If you corral things and decide where your priorities are I think you give yourself a better chance.
“But you need that luck, you need a few things to go your way.”
While the real best team in the world be crowned on November 2 in Yokohama, Saturday’s victory also took Ireland to the top of the rankings for a first time and they will hold the position through the start of the tournament.
Another first for Irish Rugby under Joe Schmidt the coach wasn’t willing to entertain the notion that anyone but his homeland were to be considered favourites for the crown.
“I didn’t realise that we were (going top) until I did an interview after the game,” said the 53-year-old, who took over when Ireland were ranked eight.
“That’s how far away from our thoughts that has been.
“It’s a label, it’s a nice label to get, and it’s nice [that it’s the] first time that we’ve been in that position.
“We have been lucky enough to tick a few firsts off with this group over the last six and a half years but that label is not going to be relevant to anyone.
“We all know who the favourites are and it’s not us.
“Knowing [All Blacks coach] Steve [Hansen] and Ian Foster and the coaching staff and some of the players, for them it’s far from their minds.
“The All Blacks are very process-focussed.
“For them it is about getting out and making the ball work and working hard for each other and they do an exceptional job of it and we acknowledge the quality that they bring to world rugby.”
The All Blacks themselves, who could yet meet Ireland in the quarter-finals, enjoyed their last hit-out before the World Cup on Saturday, beating Tonga by a score of 92-7, running in 14 tries in the game. IRELAND: R Kearney, K Earls, R Henshaw, B Aki, J Larmour; J Sexton, C Murray; C Healy, R Best (c), T Furlong; J Ryan, J Kleyn; CJ Stander, J van der Flier, J Conan. REPLACEMENTS: S Cronin (for Best, 52), D Kilcoyne (for Healy, 40), A Porter (for Furlong, 56), I Henderson (for Kleyn, 52), R Ruddock (for van der Flier, 58), L McGrath (for Murray, 71), J Carty (for Sexton, 63), G Ringrose (for Earls, 52).
WALES: L Halfpenny; G North, J Davies, H Parkes, J Adams; R Patchell, T Williams; W Jones, E Dee, T Francis; J Ball, AW Jones; A Wainwright, J Tipuric, R Moriarty. REPLACEMENTS: K Owens (for Dee, 59), N Smith (for W Jones, 59(, D Lewis (for Francis, 59), A Beard, J Navidi (for Moriarty, 68), G Davies (for Williams, 69(, D Biggar (for Patchell, 23), L Williams (for Halfpenny, 65)
REFEREE: M Raynal (FRA)
MAN OF THE MATCH: James Ryan
WHEN Rory Best first took to the Aviva Stadium pitch, he did so with family by his side. On Saturday, he left it for a final time the same way.
Scrummaging alongside brother Simon on debut all the way back in 2005, this weekend’s emotional farewell was one for the whole clan.
As soon as the final whistle blew on the 19-10 win over Wales, cameramen and photographers swarmed around the soon to be retired captain as he did the rounds, stopping to check on the health of Welsh fly-half Rhys Patchell and briefly getting reacquainted with some of his old Lions team-mates.
There was no dodging the inevitable though, the IRFU’s media man soon shepherding him in front of a microphone.
“I said I wasn’t going to get emotional,” he began before the responses being boomed out across the Aviva’s PA system were drowned out by another coach Warren Gatland left the Aviva Stadium on Saturday unimpressed by the side now ranked number one in the world.
For the second week in succession, he’d seen his squad beaten by Ireland, on this occasion 1910 after a dominant second half from the hosts,
Yet Gatland, who has been a vocal critic of his former employers in the past, most recently saying that they’re “getting a bit older”, had another pop at Joe Schmidt’s attacking style.
“We were reasonably positive. wave of cheers from the crowd forgoing the usual rush for the exit and a prime spot at the bar.
Far from the first of the day, the Aviva Stadium had shown its appreciation for the 37-year-old throughout the afternoon, starting when the team’s were read out and reaching a crescendo when the roar that greeted his substitution exceeded that for Ireland went back to what they were traditionally good at, 85% off nine, off nine, and using Bundee Aki.
“It’s been effective for them. When they play that way, we’ve been successful coming hard at those one-off runners and stopping those collisions with good discipline.
“Otherwise they’ll squeeze you in the 22. They were good in that area but they didn’t play any expansive rugby that could trouble us out wide. the try that had come moments prior.
“These moments are made special by your team, by your family and by so many people,” he said.
“I can still remember coming off the bench (on his first cap) and coming down into the corner here into a scrum alongside my brother [Simon]. Those are
“Their line-out functioned well and it was a big moment when Leigh Halfpenny marked the ball. We’ve a few things to learn. We’ve been successful in the past against them when we’ve been collision dominant.
“We just didn’t have enough territory and possession against them.
“They went to the air well and they were dominant in the breakdown. I’m not too concerned, we had a turnover of players.” the things you remember, the little bits and pieces, the trips to the stadium on the bus, the moments after the games when you look around the stadium and everyone’s wrecked, when you’ve given your all for this jersey.
“This place has given me some wonderful memories, some ones that you have had to use to try and be better and to get that reception
Wales, who are in a group alongside Australia and Fiji, as well as Georgia and Uruguay, have lost three of their four warm-up games having also split a double-header with England. Gatland, though, is unconcerned with the form of his 2019 Grand Slam winners ahead of the tournament.
“We’re holding a little back and a few guys are worried about getting on the plane,” he said of recent performances.
“It’s not like Six Nations game from the supporters here it’s nice for my mum and dad, my young family and my wife to be in there and to hear that.
“It’s nice to see that over a fairly long period of time you have done more things right than not and to get that appreciation is lovely. Ultimately it was about making sure that we were able to build on last week. It’s nice to get where you’re worried about winning, when you’d be kicking for more territory.
“We coughed up a lot of ball. We could have folded with all of that territory against us so our character was good. Other teams could have folded with that amount of territory against them.
“The referee missed a few high tackles against us although he pulled us up a few but that happens.”
Wales’ Rhys Patchell and IreWALES