Schmidt’s short-term aim expands to long-term gain

A HEINEKEN CUP semi-final was not at the top of Joe Schmidt’s list of priorities when he started the season as Leinster’s new head coach.

After three defeats in his first four Magners League matches, surviving September was as much as the former Clermont Auvergne backs coach could envisage, let alone facing down Toulouse in front of a sold-out Aviva Stadium crowd.

“I just wanted to win our first game and after we didn’t do that, I just really wanted to win the next three and we only did one of those,” New Zealander Schmidt admitted yesterday as tomorrow’s semi-final date with the defending champions looms.