France’s rout of Italy fails to convince Schmidt

So, the French have their tails up while the Irish find themselves navel-gazing after a third straight defeat against the Welsh.

Not the kind of script anyone wanted to read before another trip to our traditional Parisian graveyard this weekend but Joe Schmidt believes Philippe Saint-André’s side were not nearly as impressive against Italy as the scoreboard might have suggested last Saturday.

“I know a lot of the French players very well and I think people can get carried away by that 30-12 scoreline,” said the Leinster chief, who completed his northern hemisphere coaching apprenticeship at Clermont Auvergne.

“There were some very good individual tries but not a massive collective effort from France.

“Italy would have gone away disappointed and I know [Italy coach] Jacques Brunel spoke of hisdisappointment after the game because they had good parts of that game and controlled them, apart from Aurelien Rougerie breaking out and getting quite an individual try.

“Julien Malzieu took his try superbly but I think we can defend in those wider channels with some of those players that were out there on Sunday getting a little bit more aligned with each other.

“It was the same with Wesley Fofana’s try and for [Vincent] Clerc when he scored.”

Schmidt can’t and won’t speak for those players who owe their allegiance to Munster or Ulster but has seen his underlings respond to adversity enough times in the last 18 months to believe they can claim a rare success in Paris. There were assuring words too for Jonathan Sexton whose half-time speech in the Heineken Cup final last May demonstrated his ability despite another mixed bag in a green shirt on Sunday.

“Psychologically it can be very hard to pick yourself up but of the players I do know in the Irish camp, I know the resolve and the resilience they have and I’d feel confident you will see a pretty resolute performance and hopefully it will be enough to get them over the line.”

It is a big ask given the fact Ireland have won just twice there since 1972 and, whatever Schmidt or anyone else may say about the mental resolve of these players, it has rarely stood up to close scrutiny against their bete noir side.

Talked up as a possible championship decider prior to the tournament, the tie now takes on a very different complexion for the visitors.

Schmidt was at Lansdowne Road to take in the Six Nations opener and only saw Stephen Ferris’ yellow card tackle live and from a distance although he did admit Brad Davies, whose tackle he later saw on TV, was lucky to avoid a red.

“We all got warned at the start of the season and the warning was very definitive about the red card, that there were no second chances.

“Since the World Cup it has been highlighted so much more,” said Schmidt.

“Rolland was following the IRB directive absolutely.

“Sam Warburton has come out and said he understands that was the only decision that was left to Alain and therefore it doesn’t change what you’re doing, but you have to make sure that your players have the awareness that any time they lift in the tackle there is a serious risk of a serious consequence.”

Meanwhile, Philippe Saint-Andre has kept faith with the same squad that beat Italy for the clash against Ireland.

But the former Toulon coach is adamant he will be making changes to his starting XV after declaring himself delighted with the application of his replacements.

“We have decided to keep the same 23 players,” he said. “We had hesitations about two or three positions but after reviewing the video of the match twice, it was thought that there was a great need to see this squad work together again.

“I think the starting XV will change. The whole group has invested, concentrated and applied themselves this week.

“We will watch the video of the match together before watching the Ireland-Wales game.

“And from this Sunday, we enter preparation mode for the Ireland game for which we must improve.”