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Brian O'Driscoll has a World Cup remedy to fix Joe Schmidt's struggling Ireland midfield

By Liam Heagney
Brian O'Driscoll wants Robbie Henshaw alongside Garry Ringrose in Ireland's midfield, not Bundee Aki who suffered versus England (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

Brian O’Driscoll believes it is time for Joe Schmidt to take decisive action with Ireland’s struggling midfield and finally ask Garry Ringrose and Robbie Henshaw to replicate what they have done together at Leinster at the World Cup with Ireland. 

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Multiple trophies have been won by the Irish province in recent years with the two young midfielders paired together at a unit by Leo Cullen. 

However, injuries and Schmidt’s unyielding preference to choose Bundee Aki as his No12 have meant that the Ringrose/Henshaw double act has only been seen in action once – the 26-21 series-saving win over Australia in Melbourne in June 2018 – since New Zealander Aki became eligible for his adopted country under World Rugby’s three-year residency rule. 

Before Aki became available, the Henshaw-Ringrose axis had started on five occasions and helped to deny England the 2017 Grand Slam. However, ever since the Connacht midfielder made a November 2017 debut, Aki has been Schmidt’s starting inside centre in 18 of Ireland’s 22 matches.  

Having now watched records tumble at Twickenham last Saturday on the back of Schmidt’s worst result of his 69-match reign, O’Driscoll, who retired in 2014 as Ireland’s most capped player ever, would like to see a major change in strategy ahead of the finals.

(Continue reading below…)

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“The partnership for me is – if both players are fit – Garry Ringrose and Robbie Henshaw,” said O’Driscoll to RugbyPass four days after a woeful Ireland conceded eight tries in London and leaked their most points ever in a match against England.  

“It’s partly because of their understanding of playing together provincially as well. Bundee has never disappointed for Ireland, save for his game at the weekend against England.

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“He will want to put that right next time he gets a chance. But for me, Robbie and Garry are the starting partnership all things being equal.”

There has been widespread rancour in Ireland in the wake of the harrowing defeat to England, with people feeling the chance of achieving history at the World Cup is now banjaxed. 

However, while O’Driscoll refuses to say there has been an over-reaction, he does believe things can quickly turn around again before the tournament in Japan as Ireland have two more warm-up matches to go yet against Wales.   

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“No (there hasn’t been an over-reaction) because it was such a disappointing performance and it comes off the back of a very disappointing performance in the final game of the Six Nations. 

“That said, can it be rectified relatively quickly? Yes, it can, but confidence has clearly taken a bit of a battering and we haven’t properly recovered from the England and Wales game in Six Nations and now we are going to have to do it the hard way. 

“But the reality in sport is you have the capability of turning a big deficit around in a short space of time as we have seen with the All Blacks a few weeks ago, as we have seen with a few other teams like England in the World Cup in 2007 where they got absolutely tonked by South Africa and then narrowly lost in the final to them. There is scope for this team to be able to turn it around, but it has to start this Saturday in Cardiff.”

Having played out the last season of his stellar international career with Schmidt at the helm following three seasons playing under him at Leinster, O’Driscoll suggests no one more than the New Zealander will be as wounded by the 57-15 loss at Twickenham. 

O'Driscoll Land Rover
Land Rover ambassador Brian O’Driscoll still has high hopes for Ireland at the World Cup

“He will take it very badly I would think and I’m sure he will look internally and try and question why it has happened the way it has and what he has done wrong as much as what hasn’t happened with his players and why they haven’t been able to implement his game plans,” said O’Driscoll, a Land Rover ambassador.  

“He will look internally as well as externally and work even harder this week to try and make sure that the players are fully prepped. There is a big onus for players to get that right now and deliver for him because there is certainly going to be a couple of players who will be nervous in advance of the World Cup squad announcement next week. 

“If they have a second poor performance he could definitely cut someone adrift. Because of last week guys who would have thought they were an absolute shoo-in, now all of a sudden there might be a question mark over their head as to whether they are definitely on the plane or not. 

 

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“There will be some guys that will still feel as though he is not going to leave them out but there will definitely be a few guys who will think if they don’t perform well they could be one of the ones that could be cut adrift because he could make a point of doing it. 

“Nothing drives your performance better than that (fear) the next time you get to wear the jersey. You feel as though he is going to pick a strong team because you can’t wait another week to ease your way back into it. The best way to go out and right the wrongs in the performance is the next time you wear the jersey, which is this Saturday.”

WATCH: Ireland coach Joe Schmidt and captain Rory Best after their side’s 57-15 loss to England

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Trevor 1 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
B
Bull Shark 5 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
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