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Why are Joe Schmidt’s Ireland so conservative?

Roar Guru
14th February, 2016
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Joe Schmidt and Ireland. (AFP PHOTO / PAUL FAITH)
Roar Guru
14th February, 2016
28

There is no obvious reason for Ireland’s conservative game plan under Joe Schmidt, is there?

After all Schmidt was backs coach of Clermont during arguably their most successful campaign. In many respects Schmidt was the very embodiment of attacking rugby while at Clermont. He was at the heart of some of the most sophisticated attacking moves the Northern Hemisphere had witnessed during Clermont’s Bouclier de Brennus Top 14 title win.

So how did Joe Schmidt, the former trendsetter transform into Joe Schmidt, the breakdown expert? What has happened to Ireland’s attack under Schmidt?

We should remember, this was a team renowned for their attacking excellence in the Northern Hemisphere rugby circuit. A team that had produced some of the best tries the Six Nations had seen such as Girvan Dempsey’s team try versus England in 2004 or Brian O’Driscoll’s delightful pass for Simon Zebo to score at the millennium stadium in 2013.

This weekend demonstrated all that was bad about the Irish rugby team.

A lack of game changers, a weak scrum and poor strength in depth. Some of the above is unforced, Ireland have more gamebreakers than most of the other teams in the six nations.

Craig Gilroy, Stuart Olding, Matt Healy, Keith Earls and Luke Fitzgerald all possess a deadly step and are as creative as any players the North has to offer. Yet, only the latter two have got any proper game time under Schmidt. When these two are injured Ireland rarely look threatening out wide.

We have to get one thing straight, Ireland without Paul O’Connell are unlikely to outmuscle anybody as our front five is too weak. Denis Buckley, the skillful Connacht prop, along with fellow Connacht propect Ultan Dillane could help Ireland’s front five.

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Unless Ireland introduce the likes of 110 kg centre Stuart McCloskey, Craig Gilroy and Ultan Dillane we will struggle to beat the All Blacks and get past the quarter finals of the World Cup.

This is my exciting Ireland team for the rest of the Six Nations and the tour to South Africa.

1. Denis Buckley
2. Sean Cronin
3. Mike Ross
4. Donnacha Ryan
5. Ultan Dillane/ (Ian Henderson injured)
6. Rhys Ruddock
7. Tommy O’Donnell/ (Sean O’Brien injured)
8. CJ. Stander
9. Conor Murray
10. Jonathan Sexton
11. Craig Gilroy
12. Stuart McCloskey
13. Robbie Henshaw
14. Matt Healy
15. Stuart Olding

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