Ruddock: I want Schmidt to stay with Ireland

Murray set to return

RHYS RUDDOCK has added his voice to the growing clamour hoping Joe Schmidt will stay on as Ireland coach when he makes his decision tomorrow evening. Schmidt says he will talk with his family and then the IRFU before deciding on whether to extend his contract beyond the 2019 World Cup, with an announcement on his future expected on Monday morning. Ruddock, who captains Ireland in their final November international against the US at Lansdowne Road this evening (6.30pm), offered a simple ‘yes’ when asked at yesterday’s Captain’s Run press conference whether he wanted Schmidt to stay on before expanding on what the Kiwi’s stewardship has meant to him and to Irish rugby as a whole. ‘He’s an incredible coach and has had an incredible impact, I was lucky enough to experience it with Leinster and with Ireland,’ said Ruddock. ‘He gave me the opportunity to captain Leinster when I was just 21, and he’s helped me grow from there. He’s really helped me learn as a player and a leader.’ Schmidt will have been in the job six years by the time his contract expires after next year’s World Cup and if he did sign a contract extension he would surpass Eddie O’Sullivan as the longest serving Ireland coach. While the likes of Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger achieved success in football over

extended periods, there is always a danger of players going stale through overexposure to the same coach — but Ruddock does not believe this applies in Schmidt’s case. ‘You can compare it to football managers, there are certain managers who seem to be able to stay and still have the backing and the respect of the team, and for me, Joe certainly has that,’ said Ruddock. ‘He’s been around a while but he’s keeping everyone in the right frame of mind and everyone on their toes, and there’s a good working environment.’ Ruddock is hoping to lead Ireland to four wins from four this November, having captained the side in their opening win over Italy before missing out on the subsequent victories over Argentina and New Zealand. While players will be desperate to impress Schmidt in a side that has been totally revamped from last weekend’s exceptional win over the All Blacks, Ruddock is adamant that if Ireland do not get it together collectively they are vulnerable against a US team who stunned Scotland last June. ‘We have fallen into that trap before where guys are getting an opportunity they haven’t had in the last few weeks,’ he said. ‘The best way to stand out is almost not to stand out — to make sure the whole team as a collective performs well — because that’s how you’re going to win Test matches. ‘Being connected and looking after each other has been a big part of our focus this week. ‘All the messages have been about making sure that the collective is strong this weekend.’ Ireland are expected to round off a great month in style at Lansdowne Road and there was more good news for Schmidt yesterday with Conor Murray poised to make his first appearance of the season. The scrum-half has been in full training with Munster this week and was yesterday named on the bench for their Pro14 clash against Zebre in the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi tomorrow. With many frontline players unavailable due to their Ireland involvement, Johann van Graan has the chance to look at some of his extended squad. Tyler Bleyendaal is selected at inside centre with JJ Hanrahan at out-half and Neil Cronin at No9 ahead of Murray. South Africans Chris Cloete and Arno Botha form a strong back row with Gavin Coombes.