Schmidt: Time is on our side with Carbery

JOE SCHMIDT has insisted he still has ample time to get Joey Carbery fully up to speed as a reliable 2019 World Cup out-half alternative to Johnny Sexton. The coach paid a hefty price at the 2015 World Cup in England for not having a tried-and-trusted back-up to injury-prone Sexton. Ian Madigan was unable to handle the No10 responsibilities when making just his sixth Test start at outhalf in 25 caps for the quarter-final elimination to Argentina. That was after a frustrating season at Leinster where he played second fiddle off the bench to import Jimmy Gopperth. However, despite fears Carbery could miss another entire Six Nations with a fractured left forearm after a heavy tackle in his first home start last Saturday, Schmidt is optimistic. He believes the 22-year-old — despite having just five caps as a Test out-half — can play a positive part at the Japan finals even though Leinster are using him at full-back. ‘We have still a fair bit of time before that [2019’s finals] happens and we will certainly keep working with him,’ said Schmidt, ruing Carbery’s injury-hit year. A badly damaged ankle last

December ruled him out of the 2017 Six Nations and another ankle issue in the opening June game curtailed his summer tour. With Paddy Jackson also currently out of rugby due to a court case, Saturday’s late penalty match-winner Ian Keatley will now become backup to Sexton as a forearm fracture can take a minimum of three months to heal. ‘Joey has been a bit unlucky. We felt he would have got some great time in Japan and he got that injury (against the US Eagles). He would have come off the bench again next week (against Argentina), but he’s got another injury, so it’s just proving elusive to us at the moment. It’s the same with Leinster. ‘If Rob Kearney had been fit, he might have got some more time at 10. ‘But the best thing about Joey is what you don’t see is him working really hard on his game behind the scenes. ‘That is why we have kept a lot of confidence in his ability to contribute. It’s an imperfect world made more frustrating by the injuries and it’s really unfortunate. He’s really disappointed.’ Having made 13 changes from the side that tore South Africa asunder the previous Saturday, Schmidt’s rejigged Ireland were fortunate to hold off Fiji by three points in an even contest, but the coach has claimed he wouldn’t change his selection approach if he had the mid-series game over again. ‘There was always an element of risk. Looking back, would I do the same thing? You probably would,’ he said. Schmidt will now likely revert to the 15 that beat the Boks when facing Argentina next Saturday in a first meeting since the World Cup 2015 quarter-final in Cardiff. ‘They will come looking to have a go, come fully loaded. It is a really big Test for both sides because we’re determined not to make it easy for them and not to give them the head start we gave the last time.’