Let's Schmidt again...

[Eugene Wrayburn]

To the surprise of no one once Hansen was signed to the NZRU Schmidt re-signs for Ireland to 2019.

Coach Joe Schmidt to stay with Ireland until 2019 World Cup - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/37754545

[Digby]

I did wonder if he might look for a chance in the S15 (or S18 or whatever it'd be in another season or two) but it's good news for Ireland he's staying on. He's really only just started the develop his Ireland side, and he's done so whilst losing some greats of the game, it feels like there's a lot more to come

[Spiffy]

I did wonder if he might look for a chance in the S15 (or S18 or whatever it'd be in another season or two) but it's good news for Ireland he's staying on. He's really only just started the develop his Ireland side, and he's done so whilst losing some greats of the game, it feels like there's a lot more to come

I have mixed feelings about the appointment. Ireland has advanced under the Schmidt "play by numbers" gameplan. That has worked to some extent but has also been found wanting. I fear that all natural flair is being coached out of the team and that Ireland will continue to play variations on Schmidtball in the forseeable future (as Wales plays Gatball) without moving ahead. You have to question a coach who continues to pick the Kearney brothers and some other hasbeens in his squad. The team did quite well in SA (possibly because of some enforced changes), but against a lamentable Boks side that is the worst for years, and the tour may give a false impression of where we stand.
I shudder to think of what the All Blacks will do to Ireland in the AIs, when I think Schmidt will revert to conservative selections, especially in the backs, with an eye to damage limitation.
I hope I am wrong.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

You continue to ignore the successes and exaggerate the problems.

[hellovating]

i like schmidt and i am happy to see him sign on for the next few years. i think he has overseen some very important squad transition over the last 12 months.

looking forward to seeing even more fresh faces this autumn. we should see henshaw/ringrose which is very exciting. want to see more of payne in the 15 jersey for ireland.

delighted for john ryan, he'll probably get capped against canada. he's the munster player of the year so far.

[Digby]

I fear that all natural flair is being coached out of the team and that Ireland will continue to play variations on Schmidtball in the forseeable future (as Wales plays Gatball) without moving ahead.

Sort of. From the outside it seems Schmidt has started building given he doesn't have the 15 most skillful players, nor the 15 most athletically gifted. Fwiw I wish Jones would hurry up and develop England, but I also realise it's not that easy (it's not easy even when you've NZ's players) and it'll take time, and if they simply try to throw the ball around without the talent to back it up they'll lose.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

I fear that all natural flair is being coached out of the team and that Ireland will continue to play variations on Schmidtball in the forseeable future (as Wales plays Gatball) without moving ahead.

Sort of. From the outside it seems Schmidt has started building given he doesn't have the 15 most skillful players, nor the 15 most athletically gifted. Fwiw I wish Jones would hurry up and develop England, but I also realise it's not that easy (it's not easy even when you've NZ's players) and it'll take time, and if they simply try to throw the ball around without the talent to back it up they'll lose.

Exactly. Pretending that the man who made Leinster about the best team to watch in Europe is some some of dinosaur who hates flair is idiotic.

[Spiffy]

I fear that all natural flair is being coached out of the team and that Ireland will continue to play variations on Schmidtball in the forseeable future (as Wales plays Gatball) without moving ahead.

Sort of. From the outside it seems Schmidt has started building given he doesn't have the 15 most skillful players, nor the 15 most athletically gifted. Fwiw I wish Jones would hurry up and develop England, but I also realise it's not that easy (it's not easy even when you've NZ's players) and it'll take time, and if they simply try to throw the ball around without the talent to back it up they'll lose.

Exactly. Pretending that the man who made Leinster about the best team to watch in Europe is some some of dinosaur who hates flair is idiotic.

At least Schmidtferbrains had the wit to leave out Ross and one Kearney, but he also left out Olding and O'Halloran, while including the other Kearney and the currently unimpressive Gilroy (whom I'd rank behind the Connacht pair of Adeolokun and Kelleher at the moment). Also don't know about the match fitness of POM and SOB. POM is just about ready but SOB is nowhere close, though training with the squad will bring him on (he certainly can't be any fitter than Bowe, who is left out). I'd be surprised if he got game time. I think Tracy is lucky to get in ahead of Herring too.

Anyway, I am hoping that Kearney does not play and that Ireland do not keep kicking the ball (if they get some) back to the ABs.

So what's your prediction for the Chicago game?

(I am also hoping that this weekend's head-to-head provincial games are not spoiled by the mass withdrawl of players on the Ireland roster.)

[SerjeantWildgoose]

I am also hoping that this weekend's head-to-head provincial games are not spoiled by the mass withdrawl of players on the Ireland roster.

Well that came in too fecking late by half.

No Murray and no CJ for Munster. No Best and no Jarlath for Ulster.

10 years ago this would have been Munster's to lose - Nige is the Ref - but without DOC and Quinny I'm not sure if we've got the quality to flirt with the bloke.

[Peat]

Some of the animus Schmidt gets is absolutely ridiculous but I do think he clamped down on Ireland's attacking potential more than he had to win games post-BOD and that's cost Ireland a fallow year. Although, come on, one fallow year? Boo hoo. Everyone gets them. Two 6Ns out of three is not something to complain about.

Lets see what happens this Autumn. If he sticks Payne at 13 and Kearney at 15 and tells them to kick everything in the hope of winning 19-14, then I think he'll get some well deserved stick. If the team's a bit more like the one that toured South Africa then I don't see what reasonable criticism there is if they play well.

[Spiffy]

I am also hoping that this weekend's head-to-head provincial games are not spoiled by the mass withdrawl of players on the Ireland roster.

Well that came in too fecking late by half.

No Murray and no CJ for Munster. No Best and no Jarlath for Ulster.

10 years ago this would have been Munster's to lose - Nige is the Ref - but without DOC and Quinny I'm not sure if we've got the quality to flirt with the bloke.

The Ulster squad is still fairly strong, but Leinster have made 10 changes from last week for the Connacht game and there's a whole slew of first choice players missing. Connacht are more or less at full strength and can afford to have Aki on the bench.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Sort of. From the outside it seems Schmidt has started building given he doesn't have the 15 most skillful players, nor the 15 most athletically gifted. Fwiw I wish Jones would hurry up and develop England, but I also realise it's not that easy (it's not easy even when you've NZ's players) and it'll take time, and if they simply try to throw the ball around without the talent to back it up they'll lose.

Exactly. Pretending that the man who made Leinster about the best team to watch in Europe is some some of dinosaur who hates flair is idiotic.

At least Schmidtferbrains had the wit to leave out Ross and one Kearney, but he also left out Olding and O'Halloran, while including the other Kearney and the currently unimpressive Gilroy (whom I'd rank behind the Connacht pair of Adeolokun and Kelleher at the moment). Also don't know about the match fitness of POM and SOB. POM is just about ready but SOB is nowhere close, though training with the squad will bring him on (he certainly can't be any fitter than Bowe, who is left out). I'd be surprised if he got game time. I think Tracy is lucky to get in ahead of Herring too.

Anyway, I am hoping that Kearney does not play and that Ireland do not keep kicking the ball (if they get some) back to the ABs.

So what's your prediction for the Chicago game?

(I am also hoping that this weekend's head-to-head provincial games are not spoiled by the mass withdrawl of players on the Ireland roster.)

I predict we'll get hosed by probably the best team to ever play the game In Chicago and Dublin.

Leaving out Olding is absolutely the right call at least until he stops believing his own press and learns to pass to people in better positions than him.

[Spiffy]

Exactly. Pretending that the man who made Leinster about the best team to watch in Europe is some some of dinosaur who hates flair is idiotic.

At least Schmidtferbrains had the wit to leave out Ross and one Kearney, but he also left out Olding and O'Halloran, while including the other Kearney and the currently unimpressive Gilroy (whom I'd rank behind the Connacht pair of Adeolokun and Kelleher at the moment). Also don't know about the match fitness of POM and SOB. POM is just about ready but SOB is nowhere close, though training with the squad will bring him on (he certainly can't be any fitter than Bowe, who is left out). I'd be surprised if he got game time. I think Tracy is lucky to get in ahead of Herring too.

Anyway, I am hoping that Kearney does not play and that Ireland do not keep kicking the ball (if they get some) back to the ABs.

So what's your prediction for the Chicago game?

(I am also hoping that this weekend's head-to-head provincial games are not spoiled by the mass withdrawl of players on the Ireland roster.)

I predict we'll get hosed by probably the best team to ever play the game In Chicago and Dublin.

Leaving out Olding is absolutely the right call at least until he stops believing his own press and learns to pass to people in better positions than him.

Yes. Olding has loads of natural talent, but at present he's trying too hard to make things happen. Part of the problem is that Ulster seem to be using him as a hard yards carrier in the absence of McCloskey, and he's hardly built for the job. Still, some time with the Ireland squad would help to iron out his problems, and he did do a reasonable job against SA in the summer tests. To be dropped right off the squad seems a tad harsh, given Joe's past disregard for provincial form when selecting his teams.

On the subject of young players - don't know if you saw the Leinster/Connacht game today, but Leinster had three kids in the threequarters (Byrne, Daly, O'Loughlin, all big, fast , powerful and confident looking, especially Byrne), who looked better players than the likes of R. Kearney, McFadden and Kirshner. Fair play to Cullen for giving them a run - they were well up for it against an experienced Connacht team. Hope to see lots more of them. Plenty of good young backs coming through in other provinces too (Lyttle, Stockdale, Kelleher, Adeolokun, Sweetnam, Scannel, not to mention Ringrose/Carbery who are already in the Ireland squad). With Bowe/Trimble/ two Kearneys/McFadden past their peak, it will be interesting to see how the Ireland backs evolve before the next RWC, probably built around Henshaw at 12.