RWC: Schmidt desperate for Ireland to avoid ABs

In an effort to inspire his Irish players for Monday morning's hugely important encounter with France - one that will determine which team avoids the All Blacks in the last eight of this World Cup - Joe Schmidt invited a series of sporting legends into the camp this week.

AP McCoy, Barry McGuigan, Sonia O'Sullivan, Niall Quinn and hurler Henry Shefflin dropped in, with New Zealander Schmidt clearly keen to remind them what is possible when the Irish put their minds to something.

But Schmidt delivered a few stirring words of his own in Cardiff, not least when it came to discussing what promises to be a central theme in the brutal battle that is sure to unfold at the Millennium Stadium.

France have made no secret of their intention to target Johnny Sexton, with the selection of Louis Picamoles at No 8 alongside skipper Thierry Dusautoir seen as part of Philippe Saint-Andre's strategy to unsettle the Ireland playmaker. Schmidt, however, had a response for the French.

'The last time we played France, the first ball they got they came straight down Johnny's channel and they made the same sort of noises about what they were going to do then,' said Ireland's head coach.

'But I do know one thing: Jonathan Sexton will not be found wanting for courage. He won't step out of the way, he will put himself in harm's way.

Schmidt had to delay his team announcement on Friday for a second time before finally confirming that Keith Earls would replace the injured Kiwi Jared Payne at outside centre.
The decision to select Earls ahead of Payne, who had been expected to recover from a badly bruised foot, has been made easier by the fine form the Munster flyer has been displaying.

But with Mathieu Bastareaud deployed opposite him the comparatively slight Earls will have his work cut out. Particularly when the French midfield powerhouse will also be looking to disrupt Sexton.

In explaining his decision not to risk Payne, Schmidt said: 'We felt that Keith played pretty well last week among a pretty flat effort. And he played exceptionally last time he started at the Millennium Stadium.

'Jared got through training on Wednesday but we do think if we put him back in on Sunday it would aggravate the foot.'

Schmidt said he was not overly concerned by the apparent mismatch between Earls and Bastareaud.

'I think more often than not Keith will be marking up with Wesley Fofana,' he said. 'But we don't have someone who is the same size as Bastareaud in the squad anyway. Again, though, both our centres have pretty much limitless courage.' Schmidt said Saint-Andre informed him at a coaches meeting at the start of the tournament that his players were 'fitter than ever', and the mind games continued on Friday.

Saint-Andre also spoke passionately. His players were 'starving' for this game and so were the France fans. 'The 15,000 French fans will make as much noise as the 35,000 Irish fans,' he said.

He also noted, though, Ireland's recent record against them. 'I think the pressure is on Ireland,' he said. 'They are the favourites. They haven't lost against us for four years.'

Not that Schmidt seemed terribly concerned. 'There was pressure to win in France two years ago, there was pressure to play South Africa with a number of injuries and there was pressure not only to win at Murrayfield earlier this year, but to win by as big a margin as we could. So, I think the players respond really well to that pressure,' he said.

Even so, he brought in those Irish sporting heroes. 'You always hope that people will be inspired,' he said. 'I'm not sure they need too much more motivation but it probably contributes a bit to confidence.'

But his players, Schmidt insisted, are relaxed. 'On the down day yesterday (Friday) lads went fishing, shooting, golfing,' he said. 'And obviously the backs went into Cardiff to the shops.'

- Daily Mail