After a Baltic but satisfying finale to the November window, Team Ireland go into cold storage over the next few months, insomuch as it ever does, with options enhanced after using 36 players in three games and their game enhanced while extending their winning run to seven.
Yet, not surprisingly, such are Joe Schmidt’s exacting standards that after his 50th game in charge he was not entirely satisfied with where the Irish squad was at.
“Yes and no. I know it is a little bit paradoxical to say I am delighted with the Guinness Series and frustrated by a few things we didn’t get right and I know it is always a little bit like that when you’re trying to strive to be better every time and there’s bits that aren’t quite right, you get frustrated. It was a little bit glum in the coach’s box at the finish, just because we conceded that try at the end.”
Against that, “there’s always things that you’re satisfied with,” he added. “I’m really satisfied with the work ethic and how enthusiastic the players were to commit to what we were trying to do and work hard on it.”
In particular, Schmidt hailed the Irish scrum and Greg Feek's "super job", the form of Cian Healy and Tadhg Furlong, Iain Henderson assuming "further responsibility in the lineout", and the work rate of the backrowers.
“When you look at those things we have some incredibly hard-working and talented players. Probably not the surprise package, but the real satisfaction for me was probably Chris Farrell’s performance. I thought he was super and for Adam [Byrne] to have to go into centre was a big ask. I thought he defended really well there, he was more decisive and maybe it is a sight easier, because you are a little more connected at centre and Bundee did a great job keeping him connected and guiding him along.”
Optimistic
Citing Robbie Henshaw, Keith Earls and Garry Ringrose, Schmidt said: "I just hope they are all available and make the decisions for the coaching staff as tough as possible in two months' time."
Schmidt was also optimistic that Jamie Heaslip and Jared Payne, could be back in the mix come January/February.
“Yeah, I spoke to Jamie recently and he’s rehabbing along, and I certainly wouldn’t discount it at the moment. I wouldn’t discount Jared either. I haven’t spoken to Jared since the start of the Guinness Series; I spoke to him just prior to that and he felt he was making good progress.”
“He’s incredibly influential when he plays for us. I think you saw that when he was on one leg against England, but he still made a difference. Yeah, he would be another guy who would still be on the radar for sure.”
Nor is the door closed to others outside this group. "There's always licence if someone is performing really well," added Schmidt, and citing the influence of Brad Thorn, then 38, at Leinster, said age would be no barrier.
“I wouldn’t discard anyone at this stage and while you say it’s two years away from the World Cup I suppose my riposte would be that it’s two months away from the Six Nations, and I love the competition.
“I think it’s such a tough competition. You have fantastic crowds. Everything’s a sell-out. You have atmosphere. I don’t know, maybe 2013 and that New Zealand game, was probably even surpassed by that last few minutes against England last year. It has something that’s a huge allure for the people up here and we want to try and measure up.”
Thrashing
England go into the tournament seeking to become the first country to win three titles in a row outright, and Scotland sounded a warning with their thrashing of Australia. Ireland’s next opponents are France, who followed up defeats by New Zealand and South Africa with an embarrassing draw at home to Japan to complete a winless November.
Ireland, with a relatively underpowered scrum that day, lost a rain-sodden game, memorable for the targeting of Johnny Sexton more than anything else, by 10-9, and Schmidt admits he has even been thinking about this tricky Six Nations opener in Paris on Saturday, February 3rd, since the off-season.
“It has been in the back of my mind because we know how tough that’s going to be. The one thing with, I remember a few years ago they had a fantastic autumn series and then didn’t perform in the Six Nations. Then other times they go to a World Cup, they lose to Tonga, they almost lose to one of the other not particularly strong teams and then nearly beat New Zealand in the final.”
“That’s what you’re up against because when they turn up they are so tough. That’s been our experience anyway.”
All Blacks and Pumas back in Dublin next November
Argentina will visit these shores again next November, when the Guinness Series will also feature another meeting with New Zealand, as well as a third game against a tier-two country.
The option of a fourth game might be considered although the proximity of the December back-to-back rounds in the European Champions Cup makes that difficult.
“We are very conscious of looking after the provinces as well,” said Schmidt. “Wales playing next week [against South Africa] the week before Europe, I think it makes it very tough for their regional teams leading into Europe. It is a little bit of a compromise I suppose.
“We haven’t had a formal request form anyone yet but if there is one, as we got for the match in Chicago, then we’d consider it if it comes up and we’d try and stay in touch with the provincial coaches and see if we can make it work.”
