Coming soon to a Test match near you.
Just over a week out from the start of the Six Nations and Ireland are training at the Aviva Stadium. The objective: three title wins in a row.
This morning’s open session at Lansdowne Road will give fans the opportunity to see their heroes in action. One of those men is surely Joe Schmidt, a man that elevated Ireland to winners again yet always demands more.
Last year’s World Cup was a drag – injuries and Argentinean class combining to send us home two weeks too early – but Ireland are masters of Europe. There are injuries again [there always are] and England are tournament favourites, yet a good start over Wales should see Ireland in the fight up until the final round of games.
Schmidt has included five uncapped players in his extended squad for the opening two games. After taking three years to become Irish-qualified, CJ Stander is the eldest of a quintet that also includes Josh van der Flier, Ultan Dillane, Stuart McCloskey and Finlay Bealham.
The Kiwi has shown a willingness to blood new players so it came as somewhat of a surprise that in-form Garry Ringrose was left with the Leinster squad to gain match experience on Guinness PRO12 duty.
At this week’s Six Nations launch, Schmidt revealed to reporters that former Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll had taken his public declarations of Ringrose’s readiness [see tweet below] one step further. ‘BOD’ fired a text message to his old Leinster and Ireland boss and suggested the 21-year-old’s time is now.
.@IrishRugby could do a whole lot worse than going with Garry Ringrose against Wales on Feb 7th.
— Brian O'Driscoll (@BrianODriscoll) December 27, 2015
Schmidt disagreed with O’Driscoll – feeling Ringrose is better served in the Leinster midfield – but that does not mean the centre will miss out on the entire Six Nations.
The Irish boss name-checked Ringrose, Leinster prop Peter Dooley and Munster back-row Jack O’Donoghue as top prospects and, potentially, the next cabs off the rank.
Garry Ringrose chased by Jack O’Donoghue.Schmidt told reporters, “What’s most productive is trying to get a squad that has a balance to it, trying to make sure that we have players who are physically ready and have the experience to go in and compete at what is an incredibly tough championship. It is a fine balance.”
He will seek to bring home another championship while addressing a fine balance that will hopefully get Ireland in the best condition to have another crack at this World Cup lark in four years’ time.
