SPORTS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2014 Ireland’s Schmidt set for ‘toughest’ England Test LONDON: Ireland coach Joe Schmidt reckons noth- ing in his extensive career will have quite prepared him for the task of trying to guide his adopted Montpellier country to a Triple Crown away to England today. targeting The New Zealander is in charge of an Irish side cur- rently eyeing a Six Nations Grand Slam after crush- Clermont ing Dublin drubbings of both Scotland (28-6) and defending champions Wales (26-3). But Ireland will stronghold arrive at ‘fortress’ Twickenham looking for their first win over England in four attempts and with the PARIS: Clermont and Montpellier will go hosts themselves buoyed by a 20-0 thrashing of head to head for the leadership of France’s Scotland at Murrayfield last time out. At stake for Top-14 championship today, with third- the Irish is the Triple Crown, the prize one of the placed Stade Francais looking to keep up four Home Nations-England, Scotland, Ireland and the pressure on the two leaders. With seven Wales-gets for beating all the others in a single Six rounds of games to go until the end of the Nations season. regular season, when six teams will advance Twice a European Cup winner when in charge of to the playoffs, the top eight teams are sep- Irish province Leinster, Schmidt was under no illu- arated by just seven points in what has sions about the difficulty of trying to steer Ireland been a highly unpredictable campaign to to their first victory at Twickenham since 2010. date. “There have been some challenges that would Clermont are top with 55 points, but stand out in my mind but none as tough as this,” they will be missing several internationals said Schmidt. The coach has been able to name an on Six Nations duty when they host unchanged side from the team that overpowered Montpellier at their Stade Marcel-Michelin Wales thanks to the work of such physically uncom- ground where they are unbeaten in 72 promising forwards as Ireland captain Paul matches. Absent will be Vincent Debaty, O’Connell and blindside flanker Peter O’Mahony. Thomas Domingo, Alexandre Lapandry, But England, whose pack includes captain Chris Damien Chouly, and Wesley Fofana, who Robshaw, Billy Vunipola and Courtney Lawes, are are all in the French squad to take on Wales, no slouches up front either. “The way we’ve been while David Zirakishvili is on duty with playing in recent times, particularly our last three games, we’ve been good,” said O’Connell. “But in Georgia. physicality, fitness and mental stakes the step up is Five other players are injured - Julien huge,” the Munster lock added. Behind the scrum, Bonnaire, Julien de Sousa Bardy, Benjamin Ireland boast several more Lions, including half- LONDON: England fly half Owen Farrell (2nd left), England flanker Chris Robshaw Kayser, Mike Delany and Regan King - with backs Conor Murray and Jonathan Sexton. But, as (left) and England number 8 Ben Morgan take part in a training session at two others doubtful - Daniel Kotze and has so often been the case, there will be plenty of Twickenham stadium, west of London yesterday.—AFP Thierry Lacrampe). That could open the attention on Brian O’Driscoll. door for Montpellier, who are less affected by the club v country imbroglio, to create a ‘Phenomenal Professional’ Wounded Scots ready for battle huge upset and also take over as Top-14 The Ireland centre, fit following a stomach bug, leaders as they go into the match just two will equal former Australia scrum-half George ROME: Italy coach Jacques Brunel said he teams we seem to have most difficulty points back. Montpellier will be without Gregan’s world record of 139 caps today in what has readied his side for a battle against ail- with. They have character and always play Scots Jim Hamilton and John Beattie, prop will be his final international at Twickenham before ing Scotland when the sides meet in a with determination. They will be tough Nicolas Mas with France and Georgians he retires at the end of the season. “Where I grew potential Six Nations wooden spoon clash opponents.” Scotland’s convincing win Mamuka Gorgodze and Mikheil Nariashvili. up, in a black (New Zealand) jersey it would have at Rome’s Olympic Stadium today. last year, though, now seems a distant Clermont coach Vern Cotter said been phenomenal, so how you manage to amass Scotland arrive in the Italian capital still memory with the knives out for Johnson Montpellier would prove to be a handful for 130 of them, I’m not quite sure how you do it,” said smarting from a 20-0 reverse to arch-ene- after his side conceded nearly 50 points his depleted side. Schmidt. mies England at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield and scored a mere six during heavy “They won against Toulouse and last “You have to be incredibly resilient, incredibly ground two weeks ago, a defeat which defeats by Ireland and England. week they chalked up 50 points against talented, a phenomenal professional, and there’s served only to stoke criticism of under-fire The 20-0 Calcutta Cup loss at Perpignan, they are full of confidence and your summary: that’s Brian O’Driscoll,” added coach Scott Johnson. Murrayfield two weeks ago was the first will want to finish the season well,” he said. Schmidt, who coached the Irish hero at Leinster. Although the Scots are desperate for a time since 1978 the Scots had failed to “I think they will have high hopes and it is England coach Stuart Lancaster was equally well face-saving win, Italy-who succumbed to a score a point in a match against England. up to us to be vigilant from the start of the aware of O’Driscoll’s class but warned against con- narrow defeat in Wales (23-15) and then a Johnson’s repeated references to match and for the whole 80 minutes. “But as heavier reverse to France (30-10) — are in Scotland’s “naive” play and argument that centrating too much attention on the midfield you can see we are having to bring in some no mood for losing at the Olympic he wasn’t taking the “easy” option by maestro. “He’s a key cog in the team, but there are younger players from our training centre Stadium. Prop Martin Castrogiovanni, who building a team for the future has sparked other key cogs, the half-backs are excellent, Paul and we are especially hurting in the front with No 8 Sergio Parisse will pick up an a furious reaction from fans, pundits and O’Connell in the second row, (Jamie) Heaslip at No Italian record 104th cap, said: “We didn’t ex-players. The knife was twisted further row.” “There is no doubt about it that with 8 , the list goes on of experienced players who have pressure on us when we played in when Clive Woodward-a thorn in 11 players unavailable, we are not in the make that team tick.” Cardiff and then Paris. “Now, we’re at Scotland’s side both as an England player best of situations to host a team in such top Lancaster has been forced into making a change, home and everyone expects us to win.” and coach-claimed the current Dark Blue form as Montpellier.” with the fit-again David Wilson, who has played just While captain Parisse and Castrogiovanni team would struggle to beat any of the 12 47 minutes of rugby during the past two months, have both dismissed the significance of clubs in the English Premiership. Stade missing players too all of it during Bath’s 27-23 English Premiership vic- going one cap better than retired prop The task on hand for Stade Francais, who tory over Exeter on Saturday, replacing Dan Cole Andrea Lo Cicero, they are sure to be giv- ‘Got to do better’ are just a further point back from after his fellow tighthead prop suffered a season- en a rousing welcome by the expected Australian Johnson has refused to Montpellier, on the face of it looks easier as ending neck injury. “David has been fantastic in near-capacity crowd of 65,000. buckle, but admitted the only sure-fire they have a home encounter with lowly training this week and is ready to play, so there’s no Adding extra spice is the inclusion of way to silence the doubters was by Oyonnax, but they too have several players concern about him,” Lancaster said. “He’s an excel- former Scotland under-20 fly-half improved results on the pitch. “At the end away on international duty. Fly-half Jules lent tighthead and is experienced too.” Tommaso Allan, who will pick up his sixth of the day, we have got to do better. The Plisson, lock Pascal Pape and winger Hugo Lancaster has also made a change on the bench, cap for the Azzurri when he starts at fly- best way to close critics’ mouths is to per- Bonneval are all in the France squad for selecting uncapped 20-year-old Bath fly-half half. Whether his appearance riles the form.” Johnson has made three changes, Cardiff, while No. 8 Sergio Parisse will cap- George Ford as specialist cover for first-choice No Scots enough to give an extra edge to all in the pack, for Saturday’s game. Scott tain Italy against Scotland in Rome. In other 10 Owen Farrell. “If he does get his opportunity we their game remains to be seen, but having Lawson replaces Ross Ford after his fellow games, fourth-placed Castres, the reigning know he’s ready,” Lancaster said of Ford.