JOE SCHMIDT HAS fired an impassioned riposte to Agustin Pichot’s claims that Devin Toner should seek ‘answers’ from World Rugby over his exclusion from Ireland’s World Cup squad.
Former Argentina scrum-half Pichot — now World Rugby vice-president — yesterday expressed his sympathy for Toner after he was edged out of Schmidt’s final 31 for Japan by recently-qualified Jean Kleyn.
The Munster second row became eligible to represent Ireland two days before he made his international debut against Italy last month, and now has two Test caps for Schmidt’s side.
Pichot, who led the campaign for the residency rule to be extended from three to five years, commented: “If I was Devin Toner, I will be asking WR [World Rugby] for answers. I feel sorry for him; nothing against for who was properly selected for the RWC19 by the way. But feel that way.”
Responding to Pichot’s assertion at Carton House this afternoon, Schmidt hit back and said he could ‘have a look at what the rules were and not have so many things to say’.
“Gus Pichot had a big opinion about who should be world number one as well,” the Ireland head coach began.
“I think he has a number of big opinions, but they’re not ones that are relevant for us and, talking to Gats [Warren Gatland] last week, they weren’t relevant to him either.
“What is relevant is that under the laws of the game, as they were, we are entitled to pick guys who have qualified.
“Considering he is involved in World Rugby, he could have a look at what the rules were and not have so many things to say because for us it is tough enough to do our job and tough enough for me to have a conversation as I did with Dev.”
Schmidt defended the selection of overseas-born players and pointed to the immense contribution the likes of Bundee Aki and Kleyn have made to their local communities since arriving in Ireland.
“With Ireland, the qualification involvement is I don’t know probably six or seven per cent,” he added. “The rest are homegrown guys who are not only homegrown but who are domiciled here apart from two years when Johnny was used from Paris.
“If there was any question about the number of Irish people involved then I would be surprised when you match up those numbers.
“I’m not sure I’m the most qualified to comment as I am a blow-in myself and I’ll be blowing out soon enough so Gus Pichot has changed the rules and those rules will apply beyond this World Cup and they will apply as long as people feel that is the right residency rule.
“I would question how much CJ Stander has committed to his local environment, what Bundee has done for his local environment, that they are domiciled here in Ireland and have been for a number of years.
They have contributed to their community and I’m not sure how long you have to contribute to a community and work hard in that community before you can be accepted by those people.
“I was put under a lot of pressure when Bundee played his first game. A lot of people wrote things but by the end of that first season he had played for Ireland he was named as Supporters’ Player of the Year.
“Now, I think that the majority — and maybe it is a silent majority — will fully get behind this squad and be fully supportive in the hope that we can do as well as we can in Japan.”
- Originally published at 14.38
Murray Kinsella joins Gavan Casey, Ryan Bailey and Sean Farrell with their immediate reaction to Ireland’s 31-man squad for the Rugby World Cup in Japan.
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