Henderson comments hint at a culture of 'fear' during Schmidt reign
Ireland lock Iain Henderson has praised Andy Farrell for creating an open forum for tactical discussions after suggesting some players feared speaking up during the reign of Joe Schmidt.
Henderson has been promoted to a six-man leadership group under new head coach Farrell and is enjoying a less regimented approach behind the scenes.
The 27-year-old Ulster captain believes sections of the Irish squad were perhaps reluctant to clarify instructions under the rule of former boss Schmidt due to concerns about appearing incompetent.
Ireland continue their Guinness Six Nations campaign with a mouthwatering clash at home to reigning Grand Slam champions Wales on Saturday and Henderson has sensed a positive mood change in the camp.
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WATCH: Andy Farrell and Jonathan Sexton spoke to the press following Ireland’s 19-12 win over Scotland at the Aviva Stadium.
“There is a different mentality around the place, there is a different mentality in meetings, there is a different relationship between players and coaches, there is a different relationship between players and players going over stuff together,” said Henderson.
“Everything that is done is done in a real positive manner to ensure that we are getting the best out of each other. We’re doing it to make each other better and ultimately to get a better result at the weekend and everyone knows that.
“Maybe in years gone by, guys might have been a wee bit tentative of who they went and asked questions to, or who they are trying to get clarity (from) for fear of people thinking they don’t know their detail, they don’t know stuff.
“But now a very open learning system has been put in place to ensure guys are free to get information whenever they want.”
Schmidt left Ireland after last year’s World Cup following a largely successful six-year spell which included three Six Nations titles and a stint at the top of the world rankings.
Farrell had formed part of the New Zealander’s backroom staff, working as assistant coach.
The 44-year-old’s team go into a second successive game in Dublin with significant room for improvement after his tenure began with a nervy 19-12 success over unfancied Scotland.
Prop Cian Healy echoed the comments of Henderson and revealed players are using quiet evenings at the team’s training centre to brush up on strategical matters in between games of darts and table tennis.
“It’s really open. You walk over to a coach and say, ‘sit down with me for a few minutes, go through this with me, and help me get some clarity’. And it’s the same with players,” said Healy.
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“The players are grabbing each other, sitting at their computer, going over something.
“You’ve just got to pick everyone’s brains a little bit.
“Our evenings here aren’t full, they’re not busy, we’re playing table tennis and darts most of the evenings, so the opportunity to grab a lad and sit at a computer or go through a notebook with someone is there.
“I think that’s the reason why we have that time off in the evening, to be able to just pick each other up on stuff, get our detail on and go back and chill out.”
Wales, under the guidance of new head coach Wayne Pivac, cross the Irish Sea buoyed by a ruthless bonus-point victory over Italy.
"Your Fodens and all these other players…They kind of disappear into the background whereas this guy absolutely does not.”
– @rugbyunitedny founder talks about the impact of @BastaOfficiel with @heagneyl #FRAvENG #MLRugby 🇫🇷🇺🇸 https://t.co/asNSLRjYI3
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 2, 2020
They brushed aside Schmidt’s side in Cardiff last year, winning 25-7 to complete a tournament clean sweep.
Ireland had gone into the 2019 championship as Grand Slam holders and the emphatic defeat at the Principality Stadium capped a disappointing title defence which began with a home loss to England.
Healy, the most experienced player in the squad with 96 caps, insists exacting revenge is not a motivating factor for this weekend’s hotly-anticipated encounter at the Aviva Stadium.
“I wouldn’t look back too much on that,” the Leinster man said of last year’s loss.
“I like to go in pretty clean slate in my mind and the motivation for me here is to succeed with this team, not looking for vengeance or anything like that.”
Press Association
Comments on RugbyPass
I bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments