Ireland's head coach Joe Schmidt knows a win over France on
Monday would help his side avoid the world champion All Blacks in the World Cup
quarterfinals.
Ireland will need to produce the best performance of Joe Schmidt's tenure as head coach to beat France on Sunday (Monday NZ time) and so avoid an almost certain quarterfinal against the All Blacks, according to their first-five Johnny Sexton.
Sexton, who kicked 11 points and set up the only try of the match in Ireland's stuttering 16-9 win against Italy on Monday, said that Ireland's players were under no illusions that they would have to raise their game considerably from that display if they had any real aspirations of topping Pool D.
The match represents, Schmidt admits, a "gilt-edged" opportunity for his men. "Definitely," he said when asked whether winning the pool would confer a huge reward on the winner. "Winning a test match is a prize worth winning, regardless of where you place in any pool. [But] it is a gilt-edged victory if you can get those two things, a test victory and you also get that opportunity to maybe play an opponent that is not as difficult [in the quarter-finals]."
The New Zealander was far from happy after watching his side concede 14 turnovers and 10 penalties on Monday, describing the performance as a "reality check" after the convincing wins against Canada and Romania. "Around the penalties we know there are some things we have to control better and do better. There were some really poor penalties from us [against Italy]."
France's players yesterday highlighted the lineout as a key area ahead of Monday's game. "It's probably going to be a big battle," Alexandre Flanquart, the Stade Francais lock, said. "They are very strong in the lineouts, both on attack and counter-attack."
- The Telegraph
