Leinster boss Schmidt unperturbed as French test beckons

Joe Schmidt has played down the competition quirk that will see his Leinster side hit the road for their Heineken Cup semi-final despite the fact their pool performances were enough to secure them home advantage for the last eight.

There are many things that make Europe’s flagship competition unique and this is one of them: that seedings are used to determine who plays home and away in one knockout round while nothing more scientific than a ‘first out of the hat’ approach decides the same for another.

Were rankings actually used for the last-four stage, then the Irish province would already be preparing for another home fixture at the Aviva Stadium instead of a far more difficult assignment against Clermont at the Stade Chaban Delmas in Bordeaux.

“I can see some sense it and I can also see sense in that it should be merit-based but with pools that can never be absolutely equivalent based on last year’s performances — teams change over the summer — that is one way to iron that out,” he said.

“I think they have talked about a home and away situation for the semi-finals and a neutral final or neutral venues for semi-finals but the problem with that for a semi-final is that you want to have a home team and that passionate support for one team.”

The Leinster coach did, at least, have the consolation of being able to sit on his couch yesterday and watch as Saracens and his old side, Clermont Auvergne, went head-to-head at Vicarage Road.

“They know me pretty well,” he said of the victorious French side. “Hinesy [Nathan Hines] knows me pretty well and he even knows our lineout calls although I reckon he couldn’t remember them when he was here so that might give us an advantage!

“The good thing about Clermont is that the game is actually in Bordeaux so there is a good distance that they have to travel as well as us. That’s a pretty foreign field for them too.”

One thing is for sure, they will not get it as easy in the competition as they did on Saturday night against a demoralised and shambolic Blues side. Schmidt was particularly fulsome in his praise for Jonathan Sexton, who took full advantage of the platform afforded him.

“He put us into the corner from 50 and 60m out and that allowed us to have the attacking platforms that really put pressure on opponents and his goal-kicking is always top notch. He is kicking at 90% and he is leading the Pro 12 stats at 91.8%.

“He has taught me just to let him go. To let him play. Just to give him his head. He calls what he sees and he will always come in for chat although I don’t see that much of him.”

Another man looking to sit down and talk this week will be Luke Fitzgerald, whose contract talks with the IRFU were put on hold leading up to this fixture. “He timed his run really well to open up space for Brian O’Driscoll’s try and he is strong in the air which he had to be with the size of Tom James and [Alex] Cuthbert.”