Joe Schmidt straddling the divide between now and then with Ross Byrne call
IT all got a little bit wacky in the last 10 minutes in Melbourne last Saturday, even for those of us in the AAMI Stadium. John Cooney came on for a second cap for Johnny Sexton but everyone was still trying to process what was happening with Devin Toner going off, Joey Carbery replacing him and chasing restarts in the second-row position. Who was at 10?
It was such a bizarre finish to a test match Ireland could have won by 30 points that we were braced for the Australians excavating an incredible victory in the final series of plays. It isn’t beyond the Wallabies, as it’s part of Super Rugby philosophy, to go the length of the pitch at the end. That happens almost every weekend in at least one of the Super Rugby fixtures, whereas in our part of the world, something like that instantly becomes part of 101 Best Tries video territory.
In such mayhem moments, one strives to keep things as organised and coherent as you possibly can, but it can get away from you. In his selection for tomorrow’s decisive final test, how much is Joe Schmidt thinking of those hectic scenarios with his selection of Ross Byrne in his matchday squad?
How much is the coach throwing it forward a year? Johnny Sexton gets injured, an ankle roll, in the first game of the World Cup. He is out for four weeks but has a good chance of making the knockout phase. Ireland needs two locked and loaded 10s to get him there… Joey Carbery has been a big success on this tour, so talk about a baptism of fire tomorrow for Byrne if Johnny gets injured after 10 minutes.
The third and deciding test then becomes a completely different game not just in the pivot, but for the whole team. It is a surprising call on many levels, but Byrne has clearly impressed Joe in training with his attitude and flexibility and has been good enough around the camp to warrant inclusion. I thought management was adopting the New Zealand philosophy of bringing the young lad into the environment first before being capped. But it’s a virtual certainty now he will be capped tomorrow in Sydney — it takes a miraculous set of circumstances nowadays for all the replacement backs not to get on the field. It’s Larmour in first, but if and when anyone else goes down, Byrne is in next.
Of one thing I am certain: In striving to balance winning and deepening his squad for 2019, Joe has not sacrificed the chances of an historic tour victory tomorrow. The man is a serial winner and he believes the 23 selected is the best group to secure a decisive result. There is obviously something in training that convinces the coach he wants to get this fella in for the deciding test.
The circumstances for Sean Cronin are clearly different as he prepares for his 63rd test appearance, of which only nine have been starts. Niall Scannell did himself the world of good last week in terms of 2019. More often than not, Cronin’s vast experience has allowed him watch the game evolve from the bench, processing key bits of info when he is waiting to thrust his talents on a game, finding holes and making a key difference when introduced. Starting involves a completely different mindset, up against a fresh team with a primary emphasis on his basics, lineout and scrum. What doesn’t change is his zero-to-10 metre speed which is superior to any hooker in the modern game. It is an area where he has a clear advantage and with Ireland’s lineout jumpers ensuring some tasty launches for Cronin, it will be interesting to see what Joe has up his sleeve coming at the back (or possibly front) of Ireland’s lineouts.
It wasn’t like Ireland didn’t make those line breaks last week, and it’s not like it’s any one individual failing to capitalise. Ireland’s inability to put Australia away in Melbourne had more to do with a lack of precision and poor decision-making than it had a lack of spark. But ultimately, the Irish patent is to go through rather than around and that will hardly change. By going for width, the potential for a 13 to get isolated exists and Joe doesn’t want that. He prefers a structured attack. CJ Stander or Peter O’Mahony carrying, James Ryan or Devin Toner cleaning out. Cian Healy carrying and the hooker and other second row cleaning out.
Once there was a Brian O’Driscoll to embellish that structured approach, but such talent is rare. The Aussies will invariably have a go whereas Ireland back their ruck game. It is seldom you find an Ireland player isolated at ruck time. On each occasion, there’s a carrier and two guys ready to clean out. Australia will play to width and worry about the ruck when the man gets tackled. Joe has established a narrower framework with more emphasis on keeping the ball, more risk-averse, I suppose.
The balance of the back row will shape the third test. Peter O’Mahony had his best game in an Ireland shirt last Saturday and will face a different challenge at openside. Ditto CJ Stander at blindside, but it’s been a good three weeks for the Munster man anyway. Ringrose will be a loss tomorrow, I am not sure of Henshaw at 13, he’s a great 12, but it’s not like Aki and Henshaw haven’t dovetailed together. By mixing it up, the Irish management is creating new scenarios for huge numbers in the squad. Different starters, different positions, different combinations. All with the big picture in mind. A better idea of Jordi Murphy, of Jack Conan. And of Ross Byrne.
I’ll get to Sydney tomorrow morning via a rather circuitous route. Christchurch to Auckland, six hours onto Perth, where the Crusaders play the Western Force tonight in a friendly game. Back on a flight with the squad to Brisbane, from where they go home to New Zealand and I divert onto Sydney.
Perhaps on one of those flights I might get a chance to digest the Champions Cup draw. Nothing easy for the three Irish provinces, but having Castres in their pool on the back of the French side winning a surprise Top 14 crown may prove a blessing in disguise for Munster. The record of French sides in Europe after winning the Bouclier has not been good. They get crippled by victory demons.
I should know.
