DESPITE LAST SATURDAY’S defeat to Wales, Ireland fans remain hopeful that Joe Schmidt can guide the team to a Six Nations Championship this weekend and a successful World Cup campaign later this year.
However, former Scotland coach Jim Telfer doesn’t think that highly of Schmidt’s abilities as a coach, suggesting that the Ireland boss is over-rated.
Ahead of this weekend’s final Six Nations game between Scotland and Ireland in Edinburgh, Telfer told the Daily Record that the Scots are capable of finishing the tournament with a victory over Ireland.
Telfer, who coached Scotland to a Grand Slam in 1984, also believes that Schmidt was out-smarted by Wales coach Warren Gatland in Cardiff last weekend.
He said: “I think Joe Schmidt is a good coach but I think he’s sometimes… they think he’s a messiah because he’s won so much.
“Well, he looked pretty ordinary on Saturday. And on Saturday I think Gatland won the battle of the tactics.”
Telfer praised Ireland captain Paul O’Connell, as well as Jonathan Sexton and Tommy Bowe, but he doesn’t believe Scotland have anything to fear in Murrayfield.
“They (Ireland) are a reasonably good side, as they have been over the years,” Telfer added. “They’re not world-beaters.”
