Days of forelock tugging are over, Ireland expects...
THE PAST TWO DECADES ARE MOST FRUITFUL IN HISTORY OF IRISH RUGBY
THIS time last year, we were urged to trust in Joe. Anyone suggesting that Ireland looked badly out of form was shushed. Suggesting that the standards maintained through a glorious 2018 appeared way beyond a team that was growing tired and predictable drew in response pointed fingers – and often those large, green ones on the end of outsized foam hands favoured by cheerleaders.
Schmidt had indeed proven himself a wonderful coach during his time in Ireland, the best of the professional age and perhaps the best that has ever worked on this island.
Yet the argument that because of what he had achieved in the past there could be no criticism of him in the present was ludicrous.
So was the contention that perhaps the plan was to suffer during the Six Nations, in order to reserve energy for the World Cup, at which an array of attacking moves would be let loose upon bamboozled opponents.
The weakness in that rather desperate argument was clear a year ago: Schmidt was not resting his star names, or rotating his squad, or willingly suffering in the short-term for lasting benefits, as Eddie Jones had done in 2018.
Ireland were trying to play in the way that brought them success 12 months earlier, but they were uninspired and their opponents knew what to expect.
This is relevant because of the creeping suggestion that Schmidt has been badly treated by begrudgers who don’t realise how good Ireland had it when he was the boss.
It is a theme that has been taken up with some enthusiasm in some English analysis of today’s game.
Schmidt’s achievements are listed off in an incredulous tone, followed by declarations of bewilderment at the ingratitude shown by the Irish since the World Cup.
‘There cannot be many coaches who have fallen so far so fast,’ a piece in the Times sadly opined. ‘That, at least, is how it appears now. How it will look when – if – Farrell’s team lose a game or two will be different.
‘At some point we will reflect upon the technical and analytical brilliance that was Schmidt’s superskill and remember how far it took Ireland.’
Rory Best’s comments on the camp – later qualified – are cited in the article as an example of the ‘public shaming’ Schmidt has endured. It’s as if the World Cup disappointment should have been accepted with a quick shrug and everyone then busied themselves with an unending round of applause for the departing maestro.
Irish players and supporters are entitled to expect success.
The past two decades have been the most fruitful in the sport’s history on this island. That is to an important extent down to Joe Schmidt but there have been other contributors, too. There are people involved in the game here who would rather his name was never mentioned but Eddie O’Sullivan was vital, as was Declan Kidney.
Michael Cheika, Alan Gaffney, Tony McGahan and Brian McLaughlin were influential, as were imports into the provinces like Jim Williams, Rocky Elsom, Brad Thorn and Johann Muller.
Then there are all the indigenous players who have excelled over the course of 20 years. All of those listed, and more besides, helped nourish a culture where excellence became normalised, where winning became an expectation, and which made the standards prevailing in Ireland an aspiration to other rugby countries around the world.
That is why the disastrous 2019 was so badly received. It is why there was a fierce public reaction to the disappointments in Japan.
And it is why Schmidt’s autobiography was critically scrutinised, and why the views of players on what went wrong last year were so intently studied.
It is not a sign of ingratitude for all Schmidt did that players are enthusiastic about the Andy Farrell regime.
Only two matches in to the new reign, the evidence is encouraging but today will bring a merciless diagnosis of Ireland’s current state.
If they start to struggle, then their issues must be thoroughly teased out.
For now, on the evidence of the Wales game in particular, it is possible to say that vital players look re-energised, Johnny Sexton, Conor Murray, CJ Stander and Bundee Aki in particular.
Irish teams used to troop over to London, bluster around for an hour on patriotic fumes and then get walloped.
That is no longer the case, thanks to the brilliant way this country adapted to the changes wrought by professionalism.
Ireland now expects.
That might startle some English observers, but the forelock tugging is in the past.
Joe Schmidt was, indeed, a phenomenon but it’s time to move on.