Just like the best Gaeltachts, in Japan they have idioms that contain more wisdom and poetry than often English can offer. There’s a lesson — or a learning, given the sport’s propensity to use that term — for World Rugby itself in all that. Irish rugby supporters, like most supporters of all sports, even old-money constituencies, rarely keep that even keel. Ronan O’Gara made the observation last month that Schmidt brought something to Irish rugby that had been previously lacking: Consistency. Their body of work suggests they’re good and gritty enough to bounce back and take down a big gun.

Source: Irish Examiner October 01, 2019 23:03 UTC