Three Championship wins in six attempts is some strike rate. Gatty was zero from four attempts with Ireland and three from ten attempts with Wales.
2019 will be remembered for the World Cup and the World Cup only.
Let’s hope he does better than the last shambles
What shambles is that?
Don’t question me
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I think we got dicked by Argentina bud.
His success has been overstated and this consistent and fawning “best coach in the world” refrain is a nonsense. That’s not to say he hasn’t don’t very well.
Would you say that he has forced defences to change their approach ? England / Wales have totally changed how they defend and it’s largely to combat Joe’s ‘system’ - that’s a fair compliment. World cup looks to have come a year late for Joe… Age catching up with a lot of players.
He’s undoubtedly one of the best coaches in the world.
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A lot of lads losing the run of themselves over Saturdays result. Ireland have 4 massive test matches to play yet before they even depart for Japan, 2 of them against Grand Slam winners Wales. With their backs against the wall, and Schmidt record in these type games, there is every chance they will get at least 1 win against Wales, maybe even pushing themselves back up to 2 in the world rankings. With that type of wind in their sails then anything is possible come the world cup.
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QF loss to South Africa is set in stone at this stage.
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there are only 6 international coaches mate
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Correct. It’s a shallow pool.
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The best coach in the world stuff is subjective. The other success isn’t overstated - it’s fact. We haven’t previously shown much tendency to win 50% of the 6 nations/5 nations we played in. It hasn’t been a good 6 nations this year but the criticism is over the top and borderline hysterical imho.
Great to see them finally see sense.
The quality in the 6N is shit.
Unfortunately this is true. Nailed on.
I think the hyperbole around the rugby success has been over the top and borderline hysterical. Ireland have always underachieved in rugby. Schmidt has advantages no other coach has and arguably the best talent pool any Irish coach has had. He has had some successes and some flops. Don’t get me wrong, I prefer to see Ireland and the provinces win than lose, I take a passing interest. But the best coach in the world stuff is sickening, and the non stop talk about a world cup final a few months ago was more of it. They’ll probably crash out in the last 8 again. Rugby coverage in Ireland is a triumph of hype over substance.
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By all accounts they did a very heavy session on the dunes of Holyhead, saturday morning. Schmidt doesn’t want to show his cards in World Cup year and has treated the 6N matches as training sessions. Ireland will win the RWC in 2019.