But, he’s “the best coach in the world”??
check mate
If you say so. But as TSG pointed out, it’s a pretty small pool.
Not so. A quarter-final loss to New Zealand is a distinct possibility.
The age profile of some of the best and core players has been a worry for a few years and there were long standing question marks over whether they’d make the World Cup in Japan. By the time the World Cup rolls around - Rory Best 37, Rob Kearney 33, Jonathan Sexton 34, Sean O’Brien 32. All four amongst the top players to ever play for Ireland in their positions. All four were in flying form last year but all four suddenly look over the hill.
There are obvious similarities with 2007 when it suddenly became apparent in the opening two matches against Namibia and Georgia that a few of the veterans weren’t firing and it was too late at that stage to do anything. The World Cup is still six months away, so this is where Schmidt earns his coaching spurs, as he does still have some time to sort it out.
New Zealand lost a shit load of players to injury in 2011. I think that was because of their attritional style of play. It’s no wonder they did nothing at that tournament.
If only “the best coach in the world” had seen this coming. But in fairness, who would have been able to predict two years ago what age the players would be in two years time?
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Rory Best ha ha 
top player. Keith Wood was winning world player of the year while he was playing his flute
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They didn’t have to do anything, the refs did it for them.
Keith Wood was dropped on a number of occasions for Ross Nesdale.
Nz coach with a British defensive coach and his son plays outhalf for England. Lads can’t get the hate up to the level because they afraid to offend Andy. Imagine when he takes over we won’t beat England for the next 5 years
Rugby in Ireland is kept going by the 6 Nations therefore its imperative for them that they win a few titles. These come at the expense of the World Cup that the top nations focus on. Schmidt is unlucky ti be “coaching” Ireland as they don’t have the numbers of players available that his attritional game is focused on. He would be a World cup winner in England or South Africa if he was with them (well with SA he’d also need to stop second choice players throwing a hissy fit and playing for Ireland)
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Best was functional when at his best. Produced some days but not a top, top player. A good pro and a fine career to still be playing at 36
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Commentator’s eye.
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All this talk about building a squad seems fairly hollow now… Very hollow indeed.
Built on sand it would appear
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Keep the faith, bro. I know Saturday cut deep but let’s not get too carried away either.
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Players often emerge in the pre-World Cup warm up period. Conor Murray did in 2011. George North and Taulupe Faletau for Wales in 2011 as well.
Larmour, Carbery and possibly a couple of others have a big chance to stake a claim then.
Schmidt sadly saw Dave Kearney as one of those players in 2015 and it didn’t quite work out.
Ireland have good depth in most positions. Unfortunately the positions they are lacking in depth are the positions that have suddenly become problem positions - hooker and full back, most obviously. Scrum half as well if Murray doesn’t rediscover his form of prior to that debilitating injury.