It takes something truly special for a coach to become an even bigger star than the players under his charge. Sir Alex Ferguson fitted the bill; Sir Clive Woodward is probably the most recent example in rugby. But if an Irishman lifts the Webb Ellis on Halloween night, then our coach will surely join that elite club. Indeed, we might just come to know him as St. Joe (of the miracles)…
Joe Schmidt was a handy player, but he was never a star. A flying wing for Manawatu in New Zealand, he pitched up at Mullingar late in his career. He subsequently returned to New Zealand to pick up his coaching stripes – and then worked as an assistant at French giants Clermont Auvergne. When he re-emerged in Ireland as coach, he was a legitimate world beater – and it showed in the results.
A back-to-back Heineken Cup champion with Leinster, and back-to-back winner of the Six Nations with the national side, he’s been hailed as a rugby thinker above reproach, a planner beyond compare, and an all-round bonafide sporting genius.
Which is why, when Hot Press is granted an audience at the Irish side’s Carton House base, we’re surprised that there's ne’er a spreadsheet nor a super-computer next or near the affable mastermind behind the modern green machine.
“I wish it was as scientific as that!” he laughs. “I wish there was a mathematical formula that could automatically calculate what the best selection would be. But some of it involves a process of assessment that’s almost intuitive.”
Make no mistake, intuition plays a big part in Schmidt’s success. But so too does an awareness of the importance of nuts and bolts. The meticulousness of his preparation is lauded by players, coaches and observers alike. So too is his rational approach to the game.
“It’s mainly a common-sense approach,” he qualifies. “We know that the bounce of a ball, or a referee’s decision – sometimes even a number of them! – might ultimately control the outcome of a game. What you do, however, is control as many of the elements as you can. And, above all, you try to control your own performance.”
Indeed, keeping a close eye on the 'man in the middle' has served Ireland well in recent seasons. It is hardly coincidental that the side’s performances have improved in tandem with their discipline. Joe assures us that this is one thing which won't change when the World Cup kicks into action over the coming weeks. “You adjust, not just to your opponents, but also to how the referees will be arbitrating throughout. You have to especially focus on what their priorities are at the break-down and at the set-piece.”
Given that Joe is making his World Cup debut, he has taken the precaution of calling on his predecessor, Declan Kidney, for a few words of advice. For some, the memory of the quarter-final exit against Wales four years ago remains a sore point – but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t a lot to be learned from his predecessor.
“We had a very informal chat,” Joe says of his meeting with his fellow former teacher. “I found it really interesting. Obviously I don’t have the experience, so it was very good to talk to someone who has. It has probably shaped a few of the things that we’ve done.”
One thing that Declan probably couldn’t help with was the decision about which players to trim, to reduce the somewhat larger training squad to a final tournament grouping of 31. But this is what management is all about: making the hard calls. The games against Wales, Scotland and Wales undoubtedly helped, but so did the prolonged period working together, during which experimentation was the order of the day.
“It’s ironic,” he smiles. “You have to make sure you’re at your very zenith, as far as preparedness for a World Cup is concerned, but the training camp also gives you an opportunity to get to know a broader group. Most weeks, it’s prepare for the Test match, play it, recover, then prepare for the next. This time, we’ve had the chance to get to know a few players, and trial a few combinations.”
Schmidt named his 31 shortly before the final warm-up game against England. Job done. But an international coach can never rest on his laurels.
“Obviously, we lose Paul O’Connell at the end of the tournament," he states, "so someone else will have to come in for him for the next Six Nations.”
To that end, the form of Iain Henderson and Donnacha Ryan – both returning off the back of serious injuries – has certainly put a smile on Joe’s face.
“It’s funny," he says, "Donnacha’s been in camp a few times organizing the opposition line-out. It’s great to get him back fully fit, with all his experience, and the intellectual property he brings to set pieces. Iain had a super finish to the season playing at No. 6, while we’ve also played him at No. 4. Having players who can make switches like that gives us a bit more flexibility.”
Flexibility was certainly a major talking point when the final squad was announced. Ian Madigan – already well- versed in double-jobbing as Leinster out-half-cum-inside- centre – was handed a potential third role as scrum-half cover. Sure, it means that even the slightest knock to Conor Murray or Eoin Reddan will have us consulting the tarot in double-quick time, but it might just be another crucial call on the road to glory. It also confirms that Joe isn’t averse to springing a surprise or two.
“I think we’re a relatively open book,” he says, with a poker face that would send even the bravest of Vegas gamblers running to cash out. “Teams that do their homework on us will have a pretty good indication of how we play. We’ve had a small window to develop it a little bit, but you’d be surprised at how quickly six weeks can go.”
Indeed, the preparation period for the tournament passed in the blink of an eye; already, the Irish side are well on the road to success. Italy and France are next; we wait with baited breath...