Eoin Reddan: Joe Schmidt’s Ireland has plenty of leaders

Eoin Reddan says Joe Schmidt is spoiled for choice when it comes to selecting the new Ireland captain.

The Leinster and Ireland scrum-half insists the players have lost no sleep over who will get the role, because everyone who has been linked with replacing Paul O’Connell has been put through the ringer by the game.

Rory Best, Jamie Heaslip, Sean O’Brien, Conor Murray, and Jonny Sexton have all tasted the highs and lows of domestic, international and Lions rugby — and Reddan says whoever gets to lead the country will have the full support of the squad.

“In certain teams, [the captaincy] can be very important when you’re running into an era where there’s a whole new team with new guys who haven’t been through a lot,” he said.

“Whereas with the current Irish team, the reason there is so much speculation is because there are so many players who can do it and when one guy is chosen, it will be hard to say you should have picked somebody else, because they have all been through ups and downs.

“That’s probably why the players are relaxed about who will get it. Because all of us would play for whoever gets it.

“It’s probably more important for the individual, that’s where it is at the moment.

“It’s going to be a huge day for one person and it’s going to be nice for that person. And it will be nice for us all, it’s nice to see your friends achieve something like that.

“It will be a nice day for the squad because we will be happy for whoever gets it. Joe is the kind of coach who will stand by who is picked, which will make it much easier for that person. And the players will stand by him too.”

While the importance — or otherwise — of the captain in a team sport has been examined ad nauseum by teams, managers and academics, Reddan believes there is still something special required from a captain, particularly in the run-up to a game where the attitude and confidence of a team is in question.

“It is collective stuff, but at the same time you have to have a feel for how the group is feeling,” he said.

“So the week of a match is important, in that respect — can you walk into a room and sense are we confident or overconfident, are things really clicking? Can you get that right and manage to turn it around? The mood is important.”

The skipper will have plenty of input on the pitch and in the dressing room, but Schmidt’s the man in charge of selection, and despite recent predictions of armageddon in the domestic game, the Kiwi has a host of exciting options available to him as he looks to name his Six Nations squad.

“It’s brilliant,” Reddan said of the players who have more recently put their hands up.

“Joe will have a plan, he will definitely come up with a plan that suits whatever combinations are chosen.

“It will be tough on some of them because they are all playing well.

“He’ll pick guys who suit the way he wants to approach the game.

“But he’s also good in not having a fixed opinion on players so they can move in and out.

“It’s great for Irish rugby.

“Through injury and form you will see a lot of these centres appearing for Ireland.

“You have strong guys, guys who can jink and who can make great passes.

“I met Stuart McCloskey for the first time in camp, he’s down to earth, he’s playing really well and he’s a nice lad.”