Post Schmidt Ireland

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It must be clearer than ever who would be the best to take over after joe. This year will probably be the clincher

Em..... I think the consensus is that he should already be deported before he gets here...

That's the gist of her so far, rodders.

Martin Johnson as forwards coach?

Eddie Jones as Mascot.

rodders wrote:So Mike Catt is latest recruit to join Farrell's team. Any thoughts?

I'm not sure. Italy are nice to watch alright but they don't win much. He'll have better players with Ireland.


I'll be glad to see the end of Schmidtball. That's controversial but Im bored to death of it at this stage. I was also bored to death of Munster since Foley reverted back to caveman rugby so delighted to see Larkham take over and that should also be good for Ireland if the 4 provinces are playing expansive rugby.

profitius wrote:

rodders wrote:So Mike Catt is latest recruit to join Farrell's team. Any thoughts?

I'm not sure. Italy are nice to watch alright but they don't win much. He'll have better players with Ireland.


I'll be glad to see the end of Schmidtball. That's controversial but Im bored to death of it at this stage. I was also bored to death of Munster since Foley reverted back to caveman rugby so delighted to see Larkham take over and that should also be good for Ireland if the 4 provinces are playing expansive rugby.

I’m reminded of that quote:

We lost every game but by God we lost beautifully....

profitius wrote:

rodders wrote:So Mike Catt is latest recruit to join Farrell's team. Any thoughts?

I'm not sure. Italy are nice to watch alright but they don't win much. He'll have better players with Ireland.


I'll be glad to see the end of Schmidtball. That's controversial but Im bored to death of it at this stage. I was also bored to death of Munster since Foley reverted back to caveman rugby so delighted to see Larkham take over and that should also be good for Ireland if the 4 provinces are playing expansive rugby.

Interesting to see you are still good for the usual misinformed comment.

Stevie Ferris telling it how it is again, is he right?

https://www.balls.ie/rugby/stephen-ferris-irish-coaching-team-english-412868?fbclid=IwAR3L5ekMnOz40u1HyIoCoB2lyrCLys9ULtD8End2qIMYtifxfa1iPJHIu8E

I was thinking myself this, if results don't meet expectations I can see the media and public not being too patient...

I'm not so sure it's all been a military prescision plan to drop a virtual England coaching complete ticket into Irish rugby.  I think it's more just evolution.  One guy comes, says good things to friends about the set up.  Another one shows up.  He likes what he sees too and decides he'd like to choose a coach he knows to join him....etc etc.

England is not far away.  Had New Zealand been closer perhaps Schmidt would have been able to encourage more of his compatriots into his Irish Coaching set up.

So I think it's more simple coincidence, helped along by positive word of mouth by fellow Englishmen talking to each other.

If it doesn't go well, then some of them will go and some might stay on.  The Irish coaches have to prove they are good enough - abroad or at home.  And not enough of them have - yet.

I obviously hope the English lads help the Provinces to sustain quality and of course steal a few more European titles...and whoever Farrell brings into his coaching team, all you can do is hope he gets Ireland firing on all cylinders.

Transient thing. In seven or eight years, we might be on to mostly French coaches. Nobody knows.

rodders wrote:Stevie Ferris telling it how it is again, is he right?

https://www.balls.ie/rugby/stephen-ferris-irish-coaching-team-english-412868?fbclid=IwAR3L5ekMnOz40u1HyIoCoB2lyrCLys9ULtD8End2qIMYtifxfa1iPJHIu8E

I was thinking myself this, if results don't meet expectations I can see the media and public not being too patient...

I don't agree with Ferris. Irish rugby is always evolving. Firstly we needed to become competitive, then win things and build up depth.


Now we need to upskill the players to reach the next level. To do that we need top level coaching or at least an upgrade on what was there before.


Thats not to say Irish coaches were not not capable but I'm speaking generally here. There are some quality young coaches emerging like Noel McNamara and Nigel Carolan. Theyve risen through the underage ranks but it would be good to have more pathways for coaches to prove themselves. Going abroad is also an option. McCall is now one of the top coaches in Europe.


Ferris might have missed the mess in Munster caused by having inexperienced coaches. Flannery turned out fine actually but it took him a year or two to find his feet. Jones is being replaced by Larkham which might be one less Irish man but it's going to help the players and Irish rugby.


We are becoming more self sufficient in terms of players coming through. Eventually that will translate to coaching. This generation of players are being exposed to many new ideas and styles so when they retire they'll have a bigger library of ideas than the previous generations were exposed to.


When Rob Penney first came to Munster there was genuine puzzlement as to what he was doing. That was less than 10 years ago. Lam transformed Connacht from a bunch of scrappers near the bottom of the league to pro12 winners playing a NZ style 2-4-2 system.
The English clubs are doing the same thing in the last few years. Many kiwis in charge of their clubs now.


To sum it up, we're in the process of evolving and need outside expertise but like the playing stocks now, there will be a greater number of Irish coaches emerging in the next decade.