SPRING IN THEIR STEP
February forgotten as Ireland get groove back
JOE SCHMIDT skipped away from Aviva Stadium last night, revelling in the difference a new month can make following his unquestionably rough February.
Leads against Wales, France and England had all been frittered away to leave Ireland dethroned as two-time Six Nations champions.
However, a 43-point winning margin that was only just four points short of the record championship dismissal of the Azzurri, the 60-13 pummelling in 2000, put a beaming smile back on the New Zealander’s face as the top-half finish he said he would accept at the start of the tournament can now be claimed next Saturday against Scotland.
‘We were really disappointed we hadn’t met the expectation we have of ourselves.... if we could get into that third spot, that would be a really positive return. We’re enthusiastic about what may come out of this championship,’ he enthused, glad to have left behind a month where he encountered the first concerted criticism of his two-and-a-halfyear stint in charge. Those mumblings materialised again last Thursday when he opted for a risk-free selection for this weekend rather
than give some additional inexperienced players rare championship starts. However, rather than hit out at that criticism, he suggested he himself is his most critical observer.
‘I know people question decisions I make or the way we might play but I guarantee I question it more,’ he insisted. ‘I am always trying to think how we can best utilise the resources, how best we can exert pressure on opponents and that is the challenge… all those things are questions you ask yourself.
‘I rely a huge amount on the leadership group, the players with experience, to give feedback. I don’t want to intimidate players or annoy by speaking to them all the time, but you are always trying to reflect and trying to raise the bar if you can.’
There was little conservative about how Ireland went about their business on the field, ratcheting up statistics they don’t normally generate. A whopping 14 line breaks. Sixteen defenders beaten. Nine offloads. Nice.
No wonder hapless Italy were left panting and facing questions in the aftermath about their ongoing automatic inclusion in a tournament where they continue to fail, this Dublin defeat being their 39th defeat in 42 away games since they joined in 2000.
‘It is a question when you lose matches like this, you could ask if Italy deserve to play in this tournament or not,’ admitted a peeved Sergio Parisse. ‘But when you see what we have done in the past and what we did against Ireland a couple of years ago (2013 in Rome), Italy deserve to play this tournament.’
Schmidt could sympathise with visiting counterpart Jacques Brunel, who must question his choice in staying on for a final championship before Conor O’Shea takes the reins. Four outings, four defeats. Same old story.
‘I sympathise because it is tough when you are injury-hit. I counted 14 prior to the match and then with (Marco) Fuser and (George) Biagi gone quickly, a lot of glue and sticky tape goes into trying to make sure they can be as combative as they can be.
‘It’s very hard to keep the continuity and to exert your game on the opposition. We got more time and space and our players revelled in it.’
Spilled blood was the extent of post-match Irish anxiety. Robbie Henhsaw had a stitch above the eye, Keith Earls a few in his lip and Andrew Trimble nursed a bloody nose. They will come right, as will Rob Kearney, Cian Healy and Eoin Reddan, whom Schmidt expects to all come back in after last week’s injuries.
The challenge now is to exploit an extra day’s rest in between games compared to Scotland, who face France today. ‘It’s definitely an advantage, something we have to maximise,’ agreed Schmidt before heading for the exit with a rare smile.
Goodbye February, indeed.