Joe Schmidt made his selection and unit calls on Monday and, today, stuck to his guns by naming Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne in the Irish midfield. The Ireland coach was unable to run some of his preferred combinations (front row and midfield) last week but was suitably encouraged by training drills to shake up his team ahead of Saturday’s clash with South Africa.
Injuries to 11 players Schmidt had hoped to feature in his Guinness Series squad has punched some holes in Irish sails.
‘Optimism doesn’t feature too much for me,’ Schmidt remarked this afternoon at Carton House. ‘Realism does. That enthusiasm (from the new arrivals) is contagious and everyone is looking forward to that opportunity that is coming up at 5:30pm. You want to test yourselves against the best in the world. South Africa are certainly that.’
Schmidt studied the Boks extensively and is keenly aware of the added attacking dimension they have added to their forward-dominated game. ‘The (Francois Hougaard) try from their own 22 against the All Blacks. They did to the All Blacks what they’ve been doing for years.’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUk0aMugHl0
Jared Payne, named at outside centre beside Connacht’s Robbie Henshaw, had been touted for a place in the Irish backline as soon as he touched down in Belfast, in 2011, to meet up with his Ulster team-mates. Former director of rugby David Humphreys flew to New Zealand that summer to line up a move for All Blacks prop John Afoa and at signed up the Tauranga native while he was there.
The Kiwi missed the majority of his first season in the country with a long-term knee injury but returned to enliven Ulster’s march to the PRO12 final in 2012-13.
He excelled in the fullback role that season but flirted with outside centre responsibilities as 2013-14 progressed. He has been forward about Test-playing ambitions for his adopted country and gets an opportunity against South Africa’s settled midfield duo of Jan Serfontein and captain Jean de Villiers.
Six Nations wingers Andrew Trimble and Dave Kearney miss out through injury and time-tabled rehab respectively. In come Simon Zebo, who performed well for Schmidt during the Argentina tour, and Ulster’s Tommy Bowe. Felix Jones is named on the bench so Craig Gilroy may have to wait for his chance to impress against Georgia. Three of Schmidt’s trusted lieutenants – Rob Kearney, Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray – are named in the backs but the first two have trained lightly due to back and hamstring niggles.
Addressing Henshaw’s midfield selection for only his second Test start, Schmidt commented: ‘There’s never going to be a perfect time (to try the midfield combination).’
The 21-year-old started at inside centre once this season, against Exeter in the Challenge Cup.
‘I know Robbie started the game at 13. If he ran at 12 (against Exeter) it is no different. It’s similar to De Villiers. He runs at 13 but defends as a 12,’ said Schmidt.
The transient nature of the Irish backline and the absence of both Cian Healy and Rory Best from the front row make the Springbok match all the more daunting. Irish supporters will be pleased to hear Schmidt give tight-head Mike Ross the fitness all-clear.
Ireland have been in camp for two weeks and Schmidt will have his team revved, and swatted, up to tick a box they failed to do last November – defeating a southern hemisphere superpower.
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