Ireland coach Joe Schmidt will not be moved, says Michael Lynagh
Friday 11 September 2015 16:08, UK
Michael Lynagh says two warm-up defeats will not weaken Ireland coach Joe Schmidt's resolve over his regimented World Cup gameplan.
Wales coach Warren Gatland criticised Ireland's narrow approach in his side's 16-10 victory in Dublin last month, a defeat which was followed by a 21-13 loss to England at Twickenham last Saturday.
But Lynagh, who led Australia to World Cup glory over England in the 1991 final, insists Schmidt will be unmoved by outside comments.
"I can't see Joe Schmidt reacting to anything like that," he said.
"In that World Cup final a lot of the English players had talked about us giving them a bit of a hiding earlier in the year.
"They felt they had tried to outmuscle us then and couldn't do that, so then they tried to do something a bit different in the final.
"So they chanced their arm a little bit but we just managed to squeeze across the line. It wasn't a resounding failure from England back then in the end, they went very close.
"Joe Schmidt's smart enough to know what he wants to do, what the players need. He knows his players better than Warren Gatland does.
"Warren's very smart and knows how to sow the odd seed of doubt, but I can't see Schmidt changing things at a stage like this."
Ireland will open their Pool D campaign by taking on Canada in Cardiff on Saturday week, with hopes high of a best-ever World Cup return.
Back-to-back Six Nations titles carried Ireland to an all-time world ranking of second, though those successive warm-up defeats have edged Schmidt's men back down to sixth.
Now captain Paul O'Connell and his charges are seeking to reach their first World Cup semi-final, with their France clash likely to decide who tops Pool D.
Warren's very smart and knows how to sow the odd seed of doubt, but I can't see Schmidt changing things at a stage like this.
Former fly-half great Lynagh praised Ireland talisman Jonny Sexton for steering them to Six Nations success, but admitted Leinster's returning pivot must now return to his lofty standards after a recent dip in form.
"I think Sexton's done a great job for Ireland in the last two years," he said. "He hasn't been at his usual standards in the last two games, but I'm sure he'll pull that back up for the tournament.
"But he's got to play well for Ireland for them to fire, for them to have the best chance. It's how they use experienced men like Sexton and O'Connell, having lost the last two they've got to build it back up again.
"They're leading now with two of the easiest games in the pool, so it does give them a bit of game-time to build that back up. But Sexton's crucial to everything they do."
