TWO ZEALAND?
Schmidt tight-lipped on the prospect of a Kiwi double-header
JOE SCHMIDT hasn’t fully ruled out the giddy prospect of facing New Zealand twice next November.
Ireland already have a Lansdowne Road date lined up with the world champions in 12 months’ time, but the coach admitted he would consider a request, if it came, to have a four-match November series, as happened in 2016 when the countries met in Chicago and Dublin in the space of 14 days.
Schmidt also added he is hopeful that long-term injury victims Jamie Heaslip and Jared Payne will be back in the Test mix when Ireland begin their Six Nations campaign with a February 3 trip to France.
‘We have got Argentina and New Zealand next November and a tier-two team we won’t know until later. At this stage it is just three games, but we will always get asked for a fourth,’ the coach said when asked what his plans were for this time next year.
‘We are very conscious of looking after the provinces as well. Wales playing next week the week before Europe, it makes it very tough for their regional teams leading into Europe.
‘It’s a little bit of a compromise. We haven’t had a formal request from anyone yet, but if there is a request, as we got for the match in Chicago, then we
would consider it if it comes up and we would try and stay in touch with the provincial coaches and see if we can make it work.’ Long before that potential four-game November window, though, Schmidt is optimistic of having Heaslip and Payne in his Six Nations squad. Heaslip has been out since March with back problems, while migraines have kept Payne sidelined since June, and there has been speculation the centrally-contracted duo could be forced into retirement, so slow are their symptoms to clear. But the Ireland coach isn’t as pessimistic, and he has made it clear that he will be expecting the pair to figure in his Six Nations’ selection. ‘I spoke to Jamie recently and he’s rehabbing along, and I certainly wouldn’t discount it at the moment,’ Schmidt said. ‘I wouldn’t discount Jared either. I haven’t spoken to Jared since the start of the Guinness Series. ‘I spoke to him just prior to that and he felt he was making good progress. ‘I actually thought he was potentially going to play [for Ulster], the plan was that he might play this weekend. They have put that back a bit, but he is incredibly influential when he plays for us. You saw that when he was on one leg against England, but he still made a difference. ‘He would be another guy who would still be on the radar, for sure.’ Ireland will travel to Paris for the Six Nations opener expected to win, as their run of seven victories contrasts starkly with France’s recent run of five defeats and Saturday’s spirit-sapping home draw with Japan. But Schmidt won’t be taking anything for granted. ‘It’s going to be tough. Look, I even thought about it in the offseason. ‘It has been in the back of my mind because we know how tough that is going to be.’