RUGBY NEWS:LEINSTER UNDER Josef Schmidt is an appreciably different environment to that of the previous coach, Michael Cheika, obvious even for those players in the first flush of exposure to the new management regime. Brian O'Driscoll, Shane Jennings and Jonathan Sexton are currently ensconced in the physical delights of pre-season conditioning but some three to four weeks ahead of their return to competitive fare, there's already an impatience to be available for selection.
New Zealander Schmidt will begin his reign on Friday night at Donnybrook with a friendly against Wasps. He has named a relatively youthful squad bolstered by a couple of marquee names returning from injury in Luke Fitzgerald and Seán O’Brien, amongst others, but even for those now just training and not playing the coach has already made a positive impression.
Jennings elaborated on one aspect. “I think Michael (Cheika) was quite an intense character, who worked very, very hard and nearly ran the place like a business: he had a business background and that’s the way he was, whereas Joe is probably a bit calmer from first impressions.
“In talking to Isa (Nacewa, who Schmidt coached at Auckland Blues) he just massively loves the game more than everything else and that comes across in training when he’s running around the whole time, reffing games and playing games.
“Genuinely, I know it sounds cheesy, but he genuinely does have a love for the game and he wants to make a good impression on us and he’s doing a good job on that from the start.”
O’Driscoll, now four weeks into his pre-season, alighted on several of the same virtues when independently asked to describe the impact Schmidt has enjoyed since taking over.
“He’s been very easy-going. Obviously he has his own ideas on how the game should be played. It’s nice to hear a different voice.
“As fantastic as Michael Cheika was, the change is probably a good thing for the squad. A new man is coming in, throwing new ideas at us and challenging us in different ways and that’s important. As a professional player, if you’ve played a long time, you need to be continually challenged. I don’t know anyone who is the complete player or anyone who knows it all. You need to continue to keep learning until the day you retire.”
The fact that Schmidt is recognised as a brilliant backs’ coach also appeals to the Irish captain. “I’m really looking forward to that, even some of the small things he’s been talking to us about. He puts a lot of emphasis on you making your own decisions as well. It’s not a case of spoon-feeding you. He’s a thinking player’s man.
“So he definitely challenges you and it’s something we as a back-line are looking forward to working with on a weekly basis. (It’s about) just trying to get fit and strong and get skill levels up to speed. I’m not sure when comeback is targeted. I’ll wait for coaching staff at Leinster and Ireland to come to me.”
The indications are that Leinster will play a less structured game under the New Zealander and while every player will be expected to make decisions, outhalf Jonathan Sexton will remain central to the process, especially from first phase.
He explained: “The structures are there but that’s for one or two phases to create space. We’ve to know where the space is and we’ve got a lot of calls to allow us to play the rugby that we see. It’s been going well in training so far and hopefully the lads can carry it on to the pitch on Friday night.
“I’m sure it’ll take a couple of games to get used to it; it took Michael a few months to get his ideas across but the quicker we can get on top of it the better. He (Joe) would have learned a bit in France (with Clermont) about the way they play, the depth and the width. They are two of the things he would like us to use more. So he’s obviously bringing a few French ideas: we’re learning a lot at the moment and we’ll obviously learn a hell of a lot more.
“Training’s been different, it’s been refreshing. We’re working off his ideas, his game-plan, structures and stuff; so we’re learning all the time. It’s been brilliant.”
Fitzgerald returns for the first time since rupturing knee ligaments against Australia last November while O’Brien, Devin Toner and Fergus McFadden also return from a variety of injuries. The squad contains seven Leinster academy players alongside summer signings Isaac Boss and Heinke van der Merwe.
Tickets are on sale from www.leinsterrugby.ie, Spar (Donnybrook), the Leinster Rugby Store (Donnybrook) as well as from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide. Gates open at 5pm.
LEINSTER (squad):I Boss, L Fitzgerald, D Kearney, M Keating, I Madigan, F McFadden, I McKinley, N Morris, I Nacewa, P O'Donohoe, E O'Malley, E Sheridan, J Harris-Wright, T Hogan, B Marshall, J McGrath, S O'Brien, M Ross, D Ryan, P Ryan, E Sheriff, R Strauss, D Toner, H van der Merwe, S Wright.
