Five times Joe Schmidt's made history as Ireland coach
There will undoubtedly be a sadness amid the inevitably for Ireland supporters following the news that Joe Schmidt will depart his role as head coach after the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
It was hardly a surprise when the story broke that the New Zealander’s stint will end at six and a half years after the tournament in Japan given Schmidt himself had indicated as much following Saturday’s hammering of the United States.
Just as good things come to those who wait, all good things must come an end, and under Schmidt Ireland’s achievements have been among the best in their history.
With that in mind, we have picked out five of the best moments under Schmidt’s stewardship.
HISTORIC FIRST WIN OVER SPRINGBOKS ON SOUTH AFRICAN SOIL
Ireland had never celebrated victory against the Springboks on South African soil until a stoic display in June 2016 when, despite having CJ Stander sent off in the 23rd minute, Schmidt’s men earned a historic 26-20 victory in Cape Town. Ireland went on to lose the series 2-1, but it remains a win that ranks high among their greatest achievements.
Celebrations! A 1st ever win on South Africa soil. #ShoulderToShoulder #TeamOfUs pic.twitter.com/ooAWfwPqnz
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) June 11, 2016
ALL BLACKS BEATEN AFTER 111-YEAR WAIT
In a period spanning 111 years and 28 attempts, Ireland had tried and failed to beat the fearsome All Blacks. But all that changed on a fateful day in Chicago in November 2016 as, at the 29th attempt, Ireland put one over New Zealand in a 40-29 triumph at Soldier Field. Jordi Murphy, Stander, Conor Murray and Simon Zebo all scored tries in the famous triumph that ended New Zealand’s record run of victories for a top-tiered nation at 18. Two years later, Ireland defeated the All Blacks for the first time on home soil.
Watch: Joe Schmidt hinted at his history future on Sunday.
ENGLAND’S SLAM HOPES DASHED IN DUBLIN
Just four months later and an England side revitalised under Eddie Jones had equalled the All Blacks’ run of 18 wins and were seeking a second consecutive Six Nations Grand Slam under the Australian. But Schmidt and his side gutted out a 13-9 win in Dublin with a textbook display of physicality to destroy England’s dreams.
What a finish! What a win! #IrevEng #RBS6Nations #SuperSaturday #TeamOfUs pic.twitter.com/26iRLcO9ZW
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) March 18, 2017
BEATING ALL COMERS AT THE SIX NATIONS
A year later and Irish eyes were smiling on St Patrick’s Day against England again, only this time the venue was Twickenham. Jones’ men were aiming for revenge by denying Ireland the Grand Slam, but in a thrilling encounter it was the visitors that took the glory in a 24-15 triumph – tries from Garry Ringrose, Stander and Jacob Stockdale opening up a 21-5 first-half lead that would never be relinquished.
A SERIES WIN DOWN UNDER AFTER 39 YEARS
It had been 39 years since Ireland had last won a series in Australia but, as has been the case so often under Schmidt, history counted for little as Ireland ran out 20-16 victors for a first series win in Australia since 1979. It was sweet revenge for a side that had seen their best-ever run of 12 straight wins ended by the Wallabies in the opening game.
Comments on RugbyPass
Maybe if you come once in your life in France you won’t writte so much nonsense 🙃
1 Go to commentsWhy did they kill 14 people at a gaelic football match? What had happened earlier that day? Dowson sounds absolutely pathetic, believing what the Irish say about his people, rather than believing what his people say about the Irish.
1 Go to commentsI haven't really experienced the Irish as arrogant but I guess the players maybe got ahead of themselves after a big win. Just thought it being Ireland and their love afair with WC QF exits and it being the ABs maybe they would have taken it a bit more seriously. Maybe they did and just lost anyways, who knows.
3 Go to commentsNot surprising, they tend to get very carried away with themselves very quickly. I’ve never seen a team so devastated at the final whistle than those irish players in that QF, you’d think they had lost the final.
3 Go to commentsJust a roundabout way of claiming to great fun. Self -praise is no praise, frenchie.
1 Go to commentsIreland have played the ABs since the first game 1905 a total of 37 times. The ABs have won 32 and Ireland 5 times. If we look since the first WC, then they have played each other 28 times. All Ireland’s 5 wins have come since 2016. So the ABs won 23 games. Since Ireland won their first game in 2016, they have won 5 and the ABs 4 times. Fairly even. Whatever anyone says, beating ABs consistently is bloody difficult, and when you manage to win a few, show respect to them. Period.
183 Go to comments‘Mom'.
1 Go to commentsA specialist in hitting smaller guys hard and late. Serial cheap shot merchant who deserves more than the usual token sanction for such actions.
1 Go to commentsI like to see the Crusaders lose as much as the next non-Crusaders fan, but the fact that most of their best players have not been available this year is being hand waved away like it shouldn’t effect them. It’s no coincidence that their first dominant performance came when they had more of their best players back. This is not rocket science. If they can stay fit their team at the business end of the season will include Tamaiti Williams, Codie Taylor, Fletcher Newell, Scott Barrett, Quentin Strange, Ethan Blackadder and Cullen Grace in the forwards - most of whom have barely, or not played this year. That is an outstanding pack that have not played together this season. McLeod, Havili, Aumua, Reece, and Halfpenny will be a very different prospect behind their first choice pack as well. Having said all that Penney’s record is scratchy at best, but given the players that have left and their injury list I’m reserving judgement. Penney’s appointment, a bit like Foz, has a similar stench of the incumbent having too much say in his replacement. They are lacking a truly high quality and experienced 10 which will make it hard for them to go the whole way IMO, but the list of teams who would want to play them in the finals will be very short.
17 Go to commentsWhere’s this people's champion come from? Irish people yes….other people? Their arrogance has become breathtaking. Not tested? Oh dear.
183 Go to commentsIf a coach having Crusaders heritage is so sacrosanct, why did the Crusaders not pursue Vern Cotter as Scott Robertson’s replacement?
17 Go to commentsFinau is definitely operating on razor thin margins. He hasn’t done anything wrong… yet. But a player going into contact 6 inches lower than he is expecting, without him even knowing, will end in disaster. You can imagine a situation where the pass dies on Edmed and he has to bend down a little lower to catch it at the last second. Finau’s hit would have been catastrophic. The margins are just too fine. He needs to study how PSDT, at 6’7”, manages to drop his tackle height and exert just as much force with close zero danger of taking someone’s head off. Given how poorly NZ has adapted to lower their tackle height, and that this issue which has plagued the ABs for years and played a big part in them not winning the World Cup, I thought NZR and all SR coaches would be prioritising sorting this issue out. If I was Razor I would be on the phone to Clayton MacMillan and Samipeni Finau saying exactly that. Finau is a monster and shaping up to be the closest thing to Kaino since Kaino, but I wouldn’t risk selecting him for the ABs at the moment.
18 Go to commentsThe surprising stat I saw in the Blues game when showing Sotutu equaling the Blues forwards record was that Akira has not scored a try since 2019. Now my memory is pretty bad when it comes to those sorts of the things, I can remember his AB try though, but anyway I can’t see I can remember his last blues touchdown or any in recent years. Surely that still has to be a bogus stat. Maybe excludes SRA games?
3 Go to commentsDude to me looks pretty fast for a big man, nearly 2m and 130kg, in his workout vid he was signed off. Possibly a bit slow on his reads movement wise though, but I’ve not got anything to compare him to. Hope the dude nails it and finds his sport, could have been a devastating lock in rugby if he wasn’t a footballer growing up.
4 Go to commentsWell, does that make it every year Moana has lost it’s best player the following year? Normally it’s more immediate I guess, at least there best player had a follow up year this time.
1 Go to commentsFinally, an answer to Dan Carter.
1 Go to commentsNever read such tripe. He was hit just as he passed the ball which was reviewed and deemed legal by yes the Australian TMO and referee
18 Go to commentsTerrible idea…will be too hot, no one will travel, fan zones will be promised nice cold guinness and last minute will get water. Also how do you squeeze this into the already busy battle rhythm, Prem, summer series, 6 nations & world cup….if, and its a big IF you’re going to do this, do it in a rugby nation.
2 Go to commentsWell let’s hope world rugby doesn't read some of this nonsense, because next on the agenda will be…“players will only tackle other players deemed to be in their weight class, and only with moderate velocity”.
18 Go to commentsI was never allowed to adjust boots, or ever replaced, while I was playing and staying on the field. If I had issues, I had to go to the sideline and fix them myself. Then I would ask the ref to get back in. That would really make you deal with it FAST!
6 Go to comments