IRISH RUGBY IS UNDERESTIMATING JOE SCHMIDT AGAIN – DO WE EVER LEARN?

There is a contingent within Irish rugby circles — from players to the wider reaches of media and supporters — that has never seemed to forgive Joe Schmidt for the 2019 World Cup disaster and the tension leading up to it.

A lot of talk about where he went wrong tactically and how oppressive and demoralising the Ireland camp was during that period.

These observations have generally been followed by comparisons with Andy Farrell and descriptions of how wonderful everything is within the guitar-strumming, Kumbaya, happy-clappy environs of Camp Faz.

Equally, there are those of us who retain a massive admiration and affection for Schmidt — the man and the coach — as well as deep gratitude for all he did for the game in this country.

Quite simply, the New Zealander has been the single most transformative influence in the history of the game here — and this was forgotten, or dismissed, in the build-up to the 2023 World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand in Paris, when he was part of the All Blacks coaching ticket.

Ireland were on a high at that time, justifiably laying claim to the title of best team in the world for an extended period, the pinnacle being their historic series win in New Zealand the year before.

Meanwhile, Schmidt was part of an All Blacks set-up that had been under intense scrutiny from their own media and supporters for some time and was seen as playing catch-up to Farrell’s all-singing, all-dancing Irish. It coloured the build up to that game in Paris and, on a broad scale, there was a casual indifference towards Schmidt and New Zealand which flew in the face both of history and common sense.

Meanwhile, Schmidt was in the same ‘aw, shucks, happy to be here’ mode we’ve seen this week before unleashing his ruthless side to play the decisive role in puncturing Ireland’s World Cup dreams once again.

That All Blacks side had a lot more going for it than the Australian one that squares off against Ireland, and the attitude all week has been along the lines of ‘Ireland have not been great, but they should be way too good for this shower’. And, once again, the Joe factor is being overlooked — to a degree that could come back to bite Ireland badly.

Consider the following…

• (1) Australia have far greater motivation – the Wallabies need victory to pursue a top six world ranking, vital for the next World Cup – which they are hosting. Ireland are safe in the top six no matter what happens.
• (2 ) James Lowe is on the Ireland wing — the Kiwi’s defence has never been convincing and Schmidt exposed it to great effect during the World Cup.
• (3) Sam Prendergast is starting for Ireland — like Lowe, Prendergast is vulnerable without the ball and Joe will target his uncertain defence.
• (4) The FU factor — much as with Warren Gatland before him, it will not have escaped Schmidt how his Irish legacy was treated in certain circles after he left. The motivation to rub Irish noses in it once again should be strong.

Irish rugby has a long record of getting ahead of itself, and it seems like it has happened again with Joe Schmidt and his Wallabies. Do we ever learn?

2025-11-15T06:24:39Z