Schmidt is suffering the downside of fine margins
FINE MARGINS. Ireland have been on the right side of them for the last two years in the RBS 6 Nations, but the pendulum has swung the other way and suddenly there is trouble at every turn.
The title-holders will come to Twickenham next week with backs to the wall. Not so long ago, head coach Joe Schmidt was being heralded as a Kiwi messiah, but now he is seemingly under siege.
In 2014, the Irish claimed Europe’s premier prize on points difference. The same happened again last year, following an even closer finish.
But Ireland lost 10-9 to France last weekend in Paris, in a dire encounter, to effectively end their 2016 title challenge, in light of the home draw against Wales.
This follows a World Cup campaign when Irish optimism was shattered in a quarter-final defeat at the hands of Argentina by anything but a fine margin.
The retirement of Paul O’Connell has left an unfillable void. Another icon will not be replaced, like for like. On Saturday week, it will be only the second time since 1999 that England have faced an Ireland team without either one or both of the mighty lock and legendary centre Brian O’Driscoll.
There is criticism where so recently there was acclaim. Schmidt is being widely denounced for the pragmatic gameplan which initially worked so well, based on precise kicking and aerial supremacy.
He is also under fire for the handling of Lions fly-half Jonathan Sexton, who has gone off injured in the first two games amid grave concerns about his recent history of concussion.
One pundit, George Hook, declared: ‘I will be so angry if Sexton plays against England.’
But Schmidt appears content to keep patching up his playmaker and sending him back out to face the music.
The man in charge had acquired a Midas reputation, as a visionary who could become head coach of the Lions. But that has been replaced by complaints about results, tactics and an often over-zealous control of his players — in terms of their gametime and public utterances.
That is not all. Grumbles about a selection bias towards players from Leinster and Munster have grown as those provinces have struggled this season, while Ulster and Connacht are seen as being chronically under-represented.
Ireland will no doubt fight the good fight at Twickenham, but their status as European standardbearers has been lost and it may be some time before they reclaim it.