So the season that seemed like it might never end is suddenly over. Exhaustive and a tad anti-climactic, the fall-out from the World Cup quarter-final defeat lingered into the Six Nations, where Ireland lost their grip on the title, and then finally came the acute disappointment of missing out on an historic series win in South Africa.
All told, there were nine wins, one draw, and seven defeats, which coupled with the quarter-final exit, third place finish and 2-1 series defeat, perhaps suggests a ho-hum season.
If that is the perception then it's borne partly out of the high standards which had been set in the previous two seasons under this Joe Schmidt coaching ticket, and specifically the back to back Six Nations title. That, and the innate optimism which Irish sport seems to engender.
In hindsight, the quarter-final defeat to Argentina looks as understandable now as it should have done then, given Ireland went into that game without arguably their five most influential players. Nearer full-strength, given how they’d swept their pool, Ireland would surely have gone very close to that first semi-final.
Looking at how the All Blacks dismantled France and South Africa overcame Wales, those with bigger pool climaxes the week before certainly suffered more than those who already had their foot in the quarter-finals. Los Pumas wee also a class side, and having been curiously narrow and thus exposed out wide early on, Ireland’s comeback made it one of the games of the tournament.
In the first Six Nations in 16 seasons without either Brian O'Driscoll or Paul O'Connell, and handicapped further by injuries to players such as Seán O'Brien and Peter O'Mahony, the bi-annual itinerary which incorporated trips to Paris and London made retention of the title a long shot. All the more so when Ireland were then compelled to play their first two games without either John Hayes or Mike Ross for the first ti,e in 16 seasons.
In the event, Ireland played superbly for much of the first-half against a strong Welsh side, came back gustily to draw. Losing a poor game by a solitary point to France discoloured the campaign. Losing to England at Twickenham looks even less shabby now, before the recuperative home wins over Italy and Scotland.
Bearing in mind the ever-expanding list of those deemed hors de combat, for Ireland to then produce three consistently competitive performances at the end of what amounted to a 52-week season (it was actually four days shy of it) away to one of the southern heavyweights was a remarkable achievement. In effect, this alone had never been done by an Irish side before.
The enforced changes were a blessing in some senses – albeit Ireland would assuredly have won the series at somewhere close to full-strength. Tiernan O'Halloran, Matt Healy, Sean Reidy and Quinn Roux were introduced to Test rugby (and all but Roux also endure a crash course in the exacting ways of Schmidt) while the Test careers of Paddy Jackson, Stuart Olding, Luke Marshall, Jordi Murphy, Rhys Ruddock and others came on a ton.
In all the prevailing circumstances, that Ireland could go toe to toe with South Africa over the course of three successive one-score games, even winning the first of them with 14 men, tells us all we need to know about the high standards demanded by the head coach, the rest of the coaching ticket and indeed entire management staff, and the playing squad themselves.
Eoin Reddan walks away believing that Ireland have “probably some of the best coaches in the world, across all the functions that they do, so we’re quite lucky in that regard. We’re developing quite a robust squad that can deal with injuries or dips in form. We’re going to have loads of guys ready to go so I think it’s positive.”
Schmidt's work ethic and commitment to his job is, by all accounts, off the page, and is almost matched by his vast rugby knowledge. With Andy Farrell now aboard, you wouldn't swap this coaching ticket for any other in the world.
Schmidt is currently pondering his future beyond the end of his current contract until the end of next season, and whether to remain in Ireland or return to New Zealand, and retaining Schmidt for the remainder of this World Cup cycle would seem imperative.
Speaking during the tour, Schmidt said: “This was always a chance for us to broaden that and no matter what happens, the coaching group as it is, are in great shape. I have less and less to do with it.”
Yeah, right Joe. That seems like one of the biggest fibs he’s ever told!
Thanks to comments such as that, one gets the distinct impression that after ten years away from home family considerations will steer him, with a heavy heart, away from Ireland.
"The terms Joe and detail are linked together," remarked Iain Henderson. "Everyone says it but I think that because, not only in terms of rugby, his whole job detail; players feel that he has such an impact on them and makes them feel that they can be better and can always get better. That's one thing he adds to the younger players and I know the older players feel that he's always adding to them as well. Joe is someone who is constantly striving for perfection in everything he does."
“Not only players, but management and staff, everyone has learnt from him and everyone that has learnt from him it’s been a part of bringing Irish rugby from what it was in my first Six Nations when we lost to Italy and that Scotland’s game. Off the back of those results, Joe has turned things around and it’s been massive for Irish rugby.”
For sure, if he does leave at the end of next season, his legacy will be huge.
gthornley@irishtimes.com
