BIGGER PICTURE
Schmidt can use summer tour to rest veterans and test rookies
Schmidt could further his exceptional policy of bringing through younger players
WHEN New Zealand stormed their way to the last World Cup in 2015, their twin totems of captain Richie McCaw and flyhalf Dan Carter were typically inspirational.
They were both well into their 30s with huge mileage on the clock and coach Steve Hansen, recognising the importance of these All Blacks icons to his World Cup ambitions, was happy to make allowances to ensure the pair arrived in England in the best state to produce.
Both players were allowed to take sabbaticals from the game in the build-up to the tournament and New Zealand reaped the rewards.
Now Ireland coach Joe Schmidt is facing a similar conundrum. His team of Grand Slam champions have just announced themselves as genuine World Cup contenders but, while the energy and excellence of Ireland’s younger brigade was probably the biggest talking point out of Ireland’s surge to glory, it was the veterans alongside who made it count.
Rob Kearney (83 caps), Keith Earls (67), Johnny Sexton (73), Conor Murray (64), Peter O’Mahony (47), Devin Toner (58) and Rory Best (111) are the experienced core of this team that Ireland need to lean on to fulfil their World Cup ambitions in 18 months’ time.
Schmidt has a massive call to make on Best. The Ireland captain will be 37 by Japan 2019 and it is a huge ask to expect the hooker to continue to that stage, at that age, and still be at the required level of performance.
However, the last seven weeks proved that it is doable, the 35-year-old was as effective as he ever been in his 13year career and, with the clock ticking, trying to rebuild around a new hooker and captain is not the most ideal scenario.
The best option is to keep the Best option open and that means giving the Ireland captain the summer off.
And he should not be alone. Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray are the McCaw and Carter of this Ireland team and giving the halfbacks a proper break would ensure they return fit, fresh and focused a year out from theirs and Ireland’s greatest challenge.
Based on their strength of character and constant pursuit of success, both players will probably want to tour but there is a bigger picture here and who will care about winning a series in Australia if Ireland crash out early again at next year’s World Cup?
If Best, Sexton and Murray are the most vital players to be nursed through to Japan 2019, there are powerful arguments to make similar allowances for Kearney, O’Mahony and Toner — Earls is fresher having had extended breaks due to injury throughout his career.
Ireland’s players go straight back to their provinces after their Grand Slam exertions and the domestic season runs right up until the end of May for those who get that far and then is straight into the June Test series in Australia. That’s a lot of rugby, particularly for players who toured with the Lions last summer on the back of another long season in 2016/17.
Australia might be miffed if Ireland send a weakened squad Down Under but should Ireland really care if Aussie noses are out of joint?
The Wallabies have won two World Cups and been in the final of two others, Ireland have yet to reach a semi-final and should be prepared to do whatever it takes to break that cycle.
Giving his experienced core the summer off would also allow Schmidt to further his exceptional policy of bringing through younger players and developing squad depth in challenging circumstances.
For example, no Sexton would open the door for Ross Byrne at 10.
Joey Carbery has done all that was asked of him as outhalf understudy in this championship, however Byrne has been consistently excellent for Leinster and looks the closest to Sexton in terms of the poise and control he exudes.
Similarly John Cooney, the standout performer in Ulster’s dire season, looks to be nearest to Conor Murray in terms of his ability to dominate games.
He has been unable to get past the talented Kieran Marmion and Luke McGrath in the Ireland set-up but looks like he has the head for international rugby and Australia would put that to the test properly.
Another player who needs a big end to the season and summer assessment is Munster hooker Niall Scannell, who has had a rough time of it with injuries but is back in full training this week. Sean Cronin did superbly off the bench in the Six Nations but in terms of overall solidity and all-round proficiency, Scannell looks to be the closest to Best and certainly well ahead of Rob Herring.
Resting his front-liners for a tournament 18 months away would be a big call for Schmidt to make but the pros far outweigh the cons.
Furthermore, there is precedent in the example of McCaw and Carter from a few years ago and those sabbaticals could provide the clearest guidance. For, whenever a tricky problem presents itself in international rugby, the best question to always ask is: What would the All Blacks do?