Blues halfback Finlay Christie has lifted the lid on the importance of Joe Schmidt to his team’s coaching line-up this season.
Schmidt, a Kiwi and former Ireland head coach who led his adopted country to three Six Nations titles and two wins over the All Blacks, along with a No.1 world ranking, joined the Blues at the start of this season in a support role for head coach Leon MacDonald and defence coach Craig McGrath.
The 56-year-old Schmidt’s coaching career has been characterised by a smouldering intensity reflected in his teams.
Former Ireland international Stephen Ferris told Stuff in April that Schmidt’s style wasn’t for everyone, saying “some players didn’t like his coaching style".
“It was just rugby, rugby, rugby, rugby,” Ferris said.
“He got stuck into players as well. Sometimes, a player might have been a little vulnerable, and to Joe that was maybe a sign of weakness.”
But it has clearly resonated with the Blues, who are No.1 on the Super Rugby Pacific table and enjoying a 10-match winning streak.
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Christie, who has played five tests for the All Blacks, said Schmidt’s influence had become increasingly noticeable this season.
“Joe is a world class coach and has a lot of experience at international level,” Christie said. “He’s always going to add value to a team. He and Craig [McGrath] have been running the defence.
“I guess the main thing that Joe has been building is a hard-working culture in the team on the field – working hard for each other whether you’ve got the ball or not. That’s the main thing I’ve noticed and it’s definitely trending in the right direction.”
Schmidt will join the All Blacks this year after the three tests against Ireland in July. He will be an independent selector and an analyst.
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