Joe Schmidt: We have to be better again for World Cup
It was Bon Jovi’s stadium rock anthem that rang out around Murrayfield on Saturday night as the RBS 6 Nations trophy was returned to Ireland’s care for a second year in front of more than 10,000 supporters who had hung around to watch the conclusion of an almost surreal day’s rugby.
And as they roared the chorus in approval of their be-suited heroes down on the pitch nothing seemed more perfect a fit than that refrain.
After all, on a day of chasing points to stay ahead of the pack, it was Schmidt’s team who had picked up the gauntlet thrown down to them by Wales in their hammering of Italy and done their job by putting Scotland to the sword in the middle of game of three on the Six Nations’ Super Saturday.
And it was the Irish who had then been forced to watch nervously as the points differential target they had set for England and which had seemed out of reach to Stuart Lancaster’s side against France gradually became evidently reachable.
It was they whose confidence eroded with every missed French tackle and English try they had to endure helplessly from afar, but then soared as Les Bleus bounced back time and time again in a remarkable encounter at Twickenham. And as the minutes ticked by it was the Irish coaches and players who were indeed living on a prayer as England appeared on the brink of finally stopping their miserable run of three successive runner-up finishes.
Yet the French, almost in spite of themselves, held firm and Ireland emerged victorious, retaining their title once again on points difference as they had in Paris 12 months ago, this time by six points, the celebrations all the more raucous for the release of tension that followed their agonising wait, “like Robbie Henshaw’s 21st,” cracked captain Paul O’Connell of the scenes as the champagne corks popped and some very dodgy on-pitch dancing ensued.
Of course, with a World Cup looming – Saturday’s game was Ireland’s last competitive fixture before their campaign kicks off against Canada on September 19 – a tilt at becoming the best team on the planet now seems quite the prospect and expectation from outside the camp of at least a first semi-final appearance will ramp up even more in the weeks and months leading up to the tournament.
The Ireland boss, despite the evidence he has helped present over the last 18 months since succeeding Declan Kidney, is not keen to add to the fervour.
He would prefer if we promoted the idea his team are just beneficiaries of outrageous fortune, profiting from the late try by Italy’s Leonardo Sarto against the Welsh, converted by Luciano Orquera; from resolute French defence at the death and by a last gasp tackle on Stuart Hogg by Jamie Heaslip that denied the Scots what might have been five, possibly seven crucial, title-defining points.
“Someone was describing the fine margins,” Schmidt said, “We’re champions because England didn’t quite get that drive at the end, Jamie managed to make that tackle, Sarto scores in the corner and Orquera kicks the goal, and it all came down to that.
“That’s the lollyscramble that it is, so we know that the challenge for us is that we have to be better again because there’s so little separation between those teams that next time it might not be good enough.
“I know that’s probably the maxim that everyone is putting in front of their teams and that’s what we’re working towards so it’s a bit of a vicious cycle really.
“And the more you do put your nose in front the bigger the target starts to appear on your chest and someone’s going to try to put a decent shot at that target.”
Lollyscramble, it turns out, is a children’s game in Schmidt’s New Zealand homeland where sweets are scattered liberally about the place and the kids scramble to grab as many as they can. You can see his point but as small as the margins were, it was his side that grabbed the biggest share of the candy and that will dramatically change those expectations of a successful World Cup campaign this autumn.
“I don’t know,” said Schmidt with a laugh at the suggestion, “that’s all a matter of perspective. I’d like to think not but, you know, last year I think I said a top-two finish would be great.
“This year I said the same, the fact that we just managed to get the silverware is a testament to the group that we’ve got but at the same time those margins can swing at any time.
“That’s why I say we’ve got to keep working on getting better because other people will be getting better.”
Well, Joe, we know what you’re saying but let’s just beg to differ. Ireland finish the season in a pretty decent position of strength, ranked third in the world and with just the previous week’s narrow defeat to Wales the only blot on the landscape.
South Africa, Australia, France and England have all been beaten, depth has been added to the squad and there was genuine resilience shown in the way O’Connell’s team circled the wagons after Cardiff and came out slugging, finally showing us the more swashbuckling side of their talents after three victories borne of extremely impressive efficiency and game management as Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton enhanced their reputation as the best half-back combination in world rugby.
Of course there remain questions, particularly when Murray and Sexton have the sort of off-day they had at the Millennium Stadium and the lack of tries earlier in the campaign was a serious concern. Yet the fact that when required, Ireland did not forget how to play fluid attacking rugby, is cause for cheer in itself.
Ireland can win in all manner of ways and have done so all season in spite of injuries to key players at different stages of the season. The latest way happened to be the most pleasing on the eye, kick-started by O’Connell’s try in his 101st appearance, the old war horse confirming he still appears too good to consider quitting and finishing the day by lifting the silverware.
Even Schmidt allowed himself to enjoy the moment.
“I just need to find a beverage,” he said. “Can I say that?”
There are not many who would deny him.
SCOTLAND: S Hogg; D Fife (T Visser, 11-23), M Bennett (T Visser, 71), M Scott (G Tonks, 69), T Seymour; F Russell, G Laidlaw – captain (S Hidalgo-Clyne, 57); R Grant (A Dickinson, 32), R Ford (F Brown, 52), E Murray (G Cross, 11); J Hamilton (T Swinson, 52), J Gray; A Ashe, B Cowan, D Denton.
Yellow card: Cross 56-66 Replacement not used: R Harley.
IRELAND: R Kearney; T Bowe, J Payne, R Henshaw, L Fitzgerald; J Sexton (I Madigan, 71), C Murray (E Reddan, 79); C Healy (J McGrath, 54), R Best (S Cronin, 61), M Ross (M Moore, 46); D Toner (I Henderson, 61), P O’Connell – captain; P O’Mahony, S O’Brien (J Murphy, 73), J Heaslip.
Replacement not used: F Jones.
Referee: Jerome Garces (France)
Ireland had this game won with the first line-break. The subsequent try from Paul O’Connell showed Ireland’s intent as they set about a Scottish team in desperate need of a fast start in their bid to avoid the wooden spoon. After that it was just a question of how many points.
The stats sometimes don’t lie – 27 tries and 221 points in three matches on a day of breathtaking rugby was the perfect riposte to critics of the closing-day Six Nations schedule and the supposed turgidness of the tournament. Okay, it can be cruel but when the protagonists deliver such nerve-wrecking, compelling drama it is difficult to argue with the current format.
Sean O’Brien finally returned to his rampaging best having started the tournament short on match fitness. The flanker made some telling line breaks and gave Ireland a reminder of the excellent ball-carrying and go-forward the Tullow Tank can bring to the party, capped off by two well-taken tries.
A week on from the officious refereeing of Wayne Barnes, Jerome Garces took charge of a free-flowing game, Scottish prop Geoff Cross’ yellow card for playing the ball illegally at a ruck the only incident of ill-discipline worthy of note as Ireland recorded their lowest penalty count of the championship. Penalties conceded: Scotland 12 Ireland 6
Johnny Sexton was the only non-tactical substitution, withdrawn late on after cramping up but otherwise, Ireland appear set to return all their players to the provinces fit and well.
That’s all folks. Ireland have played their last competitive fixture before the World Cup campaign begins with a pool opener against Canada in Cardiff on September 19.
Before then an Ireland XV plays the Barbarians at Thomond Park on May 28 and the countdown to RWC2015 gets rolling again on August 8 when Ireland go back to the Millennium Stadium to face Wales in the first of four tournament warm-ups.
Wales are piling on the agony and Italy seem to have thrown in the towel, conceding 47 unanswered points which puts Warren Gatland’s side 28 ahead of Ireland in the points differential as they prepare to face Scotland. It’s the final minute and here’s Italy’s Leonardo Sarto sprinting down the left wing t score a wonderful try amid a sea of despairing tackles. What’s even more cruel for the Welsh is that sub fly-half Luciano Orquera nails the touchline conversion. Final score Wales 61 Italy 17 and Ireland now need to beat the Scots by ‘just’ 21.
Five minutes to go in Murrayfield and Ireland lead 40-10 when Stuart Hogg, Scotland’s most dangerous player gets over the line despite the close attentions of Jamie Heaslip and looks to have got a try that could spell disaster for Irish title hopes. But wait, referee Jerome Garces goes up to the TMO who after several reviews decides Heaslip has prevented the try forcing Hogg to spill the ball without making the touchdown. The title bid remains intact!
Needing six points to win the title at the end of an amazing game with France, England, leading 55-35, win a 79th minute penalty. George Ford finds the corner and the English pack has a lineout six metres from the French line. The ball is secured, a maul is formed and captain Chris Robshaw calls in his backs for the big push. As the clock ticks past 80, the drive goes to ground and it’s a penalty to France. Ireland are champions, but not before the French decide to run the penalty from under their posts, giving the Irish a final heart-stopping moment.
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