Rory Best regrets softly-softly training attitude at start of Six Nations

Ireland captain Rory Best admits a softly-softly approach to training for an inexperienced and injury-hit squad led to a drop in standards at the start of the Six Nations campaign.

Sat, 19 Mar, 2016 - 00:00

Simon Lewis

Hopes of a third RBS 6 Nations title in succession disappeared following an opening draw with Wales and defeats in France and England. The slide was arrested with last Saturday’s thumping win over Italy but Ireland must beat Scotland in Dublin today to avoid finishing fifth.

Best, who today makes his 50th consecutive Six Nations appearance, said the absence of key leaders through retirement and injury the need to integrate five new caps CJ Stander, Stuart McCloskey, Josh van der Flier, Ultan Dillane and Finlay Bealham came at a price.

“I think there’s a massive pressure [from Joe Schmidt, driving standards] and probably a pressure that we maybe as a player group were let off the hook for the first couple of weeks. It’s not a case of we bring the standards down to accommodate the new people coming in,” Best said yesterday.

“The standards are the standards and everyone catches up and they catch up quickly or they get left behind and then you don’t make the next squad.

“I would say, looking back now, we probably let some of our standards in training, we let ourselves away because we wanted to build everyone’s confidence up because everyone was sort of talking us down. We probably maybe went a wee bit much instead of going ‘look, if you don’t catch up you’re behind’.”

Best also reacted to Thursday’s declaration from Schmidt that he would make a decision on his future as Ireland’s head coach following this summer’s tour to South Africa. Schmidt, out of contract in June 2017 having signed a one-year extension last June, would almost certainly be offered the chance to continue through to at least the 2019 World Cup but he might walk away from his adopted country and return to his native New Zealand.

“Absolutely I’d urge him to stay on,” Best said. “From a players’ point of view, this coaching staff is one of the best I’ve ever worked with, and he’s one of the best coaches I’ve worked with.

“It would be great to keep it together and keep pushing Ireland forward. Okay we’re playing for third place tomorrow but to have delivered two championships in three years is not a bad return.”