There’s one particular irony in Joe Schmidt being co-opted on to the All Blacks coaching ticket for the first time in the week of the first Test between New Zealand and Ireland. If the shoe had been on the other foot, and an opposition had just brought aboard a former head coach with the same level of insider knowledge, it’s likely that no one would have been more spooked than Schmidt himself.
Another irony is that one of the coaches who is least likely to be bothered by this week’s trail of events is the comparatively laid-back Andy Farrell, and the serenity emanating from the Irish camp this week is set first and foremost by him.
No coach in the world knows this team, the players and even the Irish head coach himself better than Schmidt, yet when Farrell was asked if this was a little unnerving he instantly laughed and observed: “No, he’s not playing! He’s not taking the field is he?
“Look, we’ve all played against the All Blacks, how many times have I coached against some of the coaches that are there at the weekend? Those things, you’re always adapting, you’re always changing. I’ve absolutely no doubt the All Blacks are coming up with something a little bit different. You’ve got to be adaptable and be ready for all different outcomes.
“Whether Joe has an input on that or not, that’s always the way of coaching anyway, to make sure that you’re across everything.”
Even the notion that no coach would know Johnny Sexton and all his foibles and instincts and trigger movements better than Schmidt prompted another Farrell laugh and the retort: “Maybe Johnny’s changed.”
[ Gerry Thornley: Joe Schmidt steps up to plan Ireland’s downfallOpens in new window ]
As someone who coached Leinster and Ireland to unprecedented successes during his eight-and-a-half year stint in Irish rugby, there’s no doubt that Schmidt left an indelible legacy. But given the dynamics of the All Blacks coaching ticket it’s not as if Schmidt is going to be suddenly assuming Ian Foster’s role, or anything like that. Hence there’s perhaps a danger that the presence of this coaching Svengali could be overstated.
“Look, I think we can overplay it a little bit. I think he’s in there maybe Tuesday, Thursday and I don’t know if he’s going to be there at the weekend. Ian Foster’s the boss, John Plumtree will have an input with the forwards so I’m sure everyone’s under instruction.
“I’ve been an assistant coach myself, you assist and you follow the head coach’s rules so that’s the way of the world,” argued Farrell, not unreasonably.
“If you’re a couple of coaches down and you’ve got Joe Schmidt on your doorstep, he’d certainly be the first port of call wouldn’t he? Definitely,” added Farrell, while also wondering aloud whether his scheduled coffee meeting with Schmidt on Thursday will now go ahead.
Whereas Niall Scannell was summoned from his holidays in Portugal to add cover in light of Rob Herring being ruled out of the first couple of games, no replacement was being called up as yet as a result of Iain Henderson’s tour being cruelly cut short by a knee injury.
That some of the replacements against the Maori All Blacks this morning will also have to double in Saturday’s First Test is not seen as an issue by Farrell either, who wants his squad to embrace unforeseen challenges as a dry run for next year’s World Cup.
“It’s not really. It is what it is. You select your side first and foremost and then your bench is to complement what we might need along the way. It’s not been difficult.
“I’ve been very impressed with the way the lads have embraced something different. Top-level athletes 100 per cent love routine but we all know touring is completely different. Going to a World Cup there’s curveballs all over the place.
“You look at the new concussion rules and a 12-day turnaround, that’s going to change things along the way as well, so we’ve come over here to put ourselves under a little bit of stress as far as that’s concerned and see how we deal with it because that’s what coming down the track. So it’s good for us to feel all that.”
While Ireland have had their disruptions, including Mack Hansen testing positive for Covid, the All Blacks’ issues have worsened after the Crusaders fullback Will Jordan became their latest to test positive for the virus on Tuesday.
This follows Foster, forwards coach Plumtree and defence coach Scott McLeod, as well as the Crusaders midfielders David Havili and Jack Goodhue, all being isolated over the weekend or on Monday.
Jordan was expected to start on the right wing in Saturday’s Test with either of his Crusaders team-mates, Sevu Reece or the uncapped Leicester Fainga’anuku, now likely to start.
[ Matt Williams: Ireland’s running game and physicality can unsettle New ZealandOpens in new window ]
The Crusaders outhalf Richie Mo’unga was also absent from Tuesday training with a tummy bug, but should be fit for Saturday. If not, Blues’ playmaker Stephen Perofeta could well be on the bench.
As with the All Blacks themselves, Farrell played down the potential impact of these disruptions.
“Ah, it is what it is, you know? We are in the same boat ourselves. We have one case and we could have a few more cases by the end of the week, we don’t know.
“This is the way of the world, isn’t it? The motto of the tour is definitely ‘being adaptable’. I mean, when you look at our situation, it’s not far off what’s happening with the All Blacks anyway.
“We know our preparation is completely different to what it would normally be. We are training with a squad of 23 guys who are getting ready for a Maori game and then we’ve got 13 or 14 guys who are getting ready for a Test match.
“So, the Test match boys are not training with the subs etc. We are waiting to see how the Wednesday night game goes, who is going to get picked to take to the field in the 23 for the Test match.
“We picked that on purpose because we want to be adaptable. We want to put ourselves under pressure. I am sure the All Blacks are thinking the same.”
