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.

“I am very much about short-term focus, I try to use players and get the best out of players long-term but looking this far ahead at the start of the season was impossible.

“We were in a pool that had Clermont, the French champions, Racing Metro, who I think will be French champions before too long, and Saracens, who are going incredibly well in the English Premiership, and lost the (English) final last year.

“When faced with that pool to plan any further than the first match against Racing Metro was a moot point. When you plan ahead without having the steps in place to get ahead, you fall over.

“Then we came up against Leicester (in the quarter-finals), one of the top two English sides, and now Toulouse, the top French side and European champions. So, if we wanted a tough draw we got it, but maybe that is the best preparation.”

Given Schmidt’s spell with Clermont Auvergne as assistant to fellow Kiwi Vern Cotter, the route to the last four of European competition has hardly represented a clean break with the past.

Familiarity with the French is now “almost a contempt”, he joked.

“I’m sick of seeing their success, I have massive respect for Toulouse. When I was with Clermont there was a realisation that you could play really well against Toulouse and still get knocked over because of (full-back Cedric) Heymans or (wing Vincent) Clerc or (centre Clement) Poitrenaud — someone could do something extraordinary on the day and put them an inch or two ahead on the scoreboard. They are that sort of team. I’m not delighted to see them again but I am totally energised by the challenge and I know the team are.”

Schmidt’s players are equally energised about working with their new head coach, with veteran wing Shane Horgan enjoying a rich spell in terms of try-scoring.

“It’s been really enjoyable playing in the back three at the moment,” the 32-year-old Horgan said.

“I think the ethos of the team has really been to get scores and as winger you tend to be on the end and benefit from that sort of ethos.

“And it’s not just in the back line but right through the team that whenever we have an opportunity to counter or to make a break there’s a very strong focus on trying to get the try.

“When you’re on the wing you tend to pick up the end of a lot of those moves so I’ve certainly been very lucky in that regard.”

Schmidt’s impact on that ethos is particularly appreciated by Horgan, who could make his 86th Heineken Cup appearance this weekend.

“Certainly from a backs’ point of view I think there’s been a lot of innovation this year.

“He’s certainly put a lot of pressure on everyone, whether it’s a young guy coming in or established guys who’ve been there for a few years, they’ve been treated very much the same and there’s a high expectation on everyone.

“And there’s a couple of other things where he’s made a huge difference. One is the hunger and work rate. There’s been a huge emphasis on that and that’s had an effect on opportunities, you know, if there’s an expectation on guys to work very hard and keep the hunger up for 80 minutes I think that can allow for opportunities.

“Also, there’s the idea of always being ready to attack and having the freedom to take on your opposite number. I think that, coupled with our animation when we’re not actually on the ball, that’s something I’ve found this year that there’s been an emphasis on from Joe, that if you’re not actually getting the ball from, maybe second phase, that it’s veryimportant to animate and contribute. It’s not just when you get the ball that you contribute to the team.

“So from a backs’ point of view those things have contributed to the rugby that you’ve seen this year.”