BUILT FOR SUCCESS
Summer tour has underlined Schmidt’s faith in spine of team Young stars have bolstered foundations of World Cup hopes
Rugby is now still relevant at this time of year because of Ireland’s status
BY THIS time in the summer, rugby is supposed to have exhausted itself. The soccer World Cup is proving reliably enthralling, while Gaelic games have reached a pitch of excitement not traditionally located until the end of the summer.
Yet Ireland’s third and final Test against Australia this morning places comfortably alongside the other attractions in a bustling sporting weekend.
Rugby is still relevant because of Ireland’s status now. They are one of the leading teams in the world, as they will seek to show in Sydney in the decisive Test at the Allianz Stadium.
Their excellence in the Six Nations manifested itself in the second Test in Melbourne a week ago, and a series-clinching win against Michael Cheika’s side today will seal the most successful season in Irish rugby history (Leinster’s domestic and European excellence another manifestation of the
game’s But Joe health Schmidt on these doesn’t shores). need a triumph to know the most important components of his Ireland plans. He rotated his team, to some surprise, for the third Test, but the past six months have revealed the players the Ireland coach counts on above all others.
Ireland’s spine has been expertly assembled, with the New Zealander adopting a different approach for different parts. Together, they support the hopes of Ireland ahead of next year’s World Cup.
THE PRODIGIES
That he lost his first professional game in his 24th match is the statistic routinely used about James Ryan.
Much more significant is the fact that he played for Ireland before he played for his province. Schmidt trusted him on last year’s summer tour with minutes as a replacement against the USA and then Japan.
Seeing how Ryan has responded — there was no better second row in the northern hemisphere this season — the call doesn’t look like such a gamble now.
And it wasn’t the first time Schmidt has trusted in young talent.
Garry Ringrose had started for Leinster 27 times when the Ireland coach gave him his first cap in November 2016, but he was regarded as a novice.
Brian O’Driscoll’s greatness was still casting a shadow, while Jared Payne had become first pick at
outside centre. But Ringrose quickly became indispensable, winning Schmidt’s full trust.
When fit, he starts — and his absence with a foot injury today could be costly, because Ireland’s best displays this season have coincided with his presence in the side.
THE PHENOMENON
Tadhg Furlong will come to be known as one of the best players to represent Ireland. And no, it’s not hyperbole.
He is already the most talented tighthead prop to wear the green shirt. His excellence on the Lions tour last summer showcased his scrummaging ability and his abilities in the loose on what is the grandest stage in rugby union.
Since then, he has got better and better. In fact it was the definite dip discernible in his game in Leinster’s final games of the season that was a reminder of the standard he has played at all season.
He was back to his rampaging best against the Australians in Melbourne. They couldn’t cope with him, and Furlong is a problem that has proven beyond the ken of all opponents in the Six Nations this season, too.
Schmidt values him for more than his assuredness in locking a scrum — even if this is his most important job.
Remember the role he played in CJ Stander’s try in the Grand Slam clincher at Twickenham, Furlong playing in Bundee Aki with a brilliant, deft pass that led to the score.
THE FIGHTER
Leadership has never been the issue with Peter O’Mahony; winning a place in the team has been a bigger battle.
O’Mahony has led from his early years at Munster. When Ronan O’Gara and Paul O’Connell were away with Declan Kidney’s squad at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand, Rob Penney had no compunction about turning to a callow 21 year old to captain his side.
And he has shown through this summer tour that he is the outstanding candidate to lead his country when Rory Best retires. There is a very strong case to be made that O’Mahony should be given that honour before the next World Cup.
His relationship with referees is good but his relationship with Johnny Sexton is even more important. The latter is this side’s inspiration, and O’Mahony is happy to let him barrack and cajole.
The Munster warrior leads by deeds, and while Schmidt obviously values that, proving to Schmidt that he should be in the starting team has been a tougher job.
CJ Stander, Sean O’Brien, Jordi Murphy, Rhys Ruddock and now Munster-bound Tadhg Beirne are all available as potential blindside flankers to Schmidt, but O’Mahony took his chance when veteran
The past six months have revealed the players that the coach counts on above all others