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Joe Schmidt has not deserted his taskmaster ways even if he has appeared relaxed at the World Cup, insists Jacob Stockdale.<\/p>\nJoe Schmidt has not deserted his taskmaster ways even if he has appeared relaxed at the World Cup, insists Jacob Stockdale.<\/p>\n
Head coach Schmidt has remained unusually calm in the wake of Ireland\u2019s shock 19-12 loss to Japan that threatened to derail World Cup campaign.<\/p>\n
The 54-year-old Kiwi was cracking jokes with Johnny Sexton in front of the media in the immediate aftermath of Ireland\u2019s patchy 35-0 bonus-point win over Russia on Thursday night.<\/p>\n
This Japan adventure has seen Schmidt in fine form on public appearances, but Ulster wing Stockdale insisted the notoriously hard-nosed operator is still pushing the players to the limit behind the scenes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhenever we\u2019re training Joe likes to push the intensity and really build it which is obviously class for us as players, you get that intensity that\u2019s almost like a match,\u201d said Stockdale, of Schmidt.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s amazing how much pressure one man can put on an entire team but it\u2019s brilliant he does.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhenever you\u2019re off he\u2019s a bit more relaxed and you\u2019re able to chill out a bit more, I think he gets a really good balance in his coaching style.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sexton dropped the translation console linked to his headset in the post-match press conference after the Russia win, pulling a worried face as he checked the equipment was not damaged.<\/p>\n
Schmidt immediately joked \u201cat least that\u2019s the only thing you\u2019ve dropped all night, Johnny\u201d, in a far more light-hearted moment than he would perhaps have offered in previous years.<\/p>\n
Ireland remain frustrated with the high error count from their five-try win over the Russians, but must roll quickly on from Kobe to Fukuoka.<\/p>\n
Schmidt\u2019s men now have a nine-day gap between matches, and the head coach has handed his weary players a hugely rare World Cup weekend off.<\/p>\n
Ireland do not face Samoa until Saturday, October 12 and that extended gap will allow for a host of hard-worked players to refresh stressed bodies and minds.<\/p>\n
Japan shocked the globe for the second time in four years with their 19-12 win over Ireland in Shizuoka. The Brave Blossoms conjured a triumph every inch as stunning as their 34-32 win over South Africa in Brighton at the 2015 World Cup.<\/p>\n
Japan boss Jamie Joseph insisted his squad had been preparing for the specific challenge of facing Ireland for three years, raising questions on whether the Brave Blossoms have handed others the blueprint for how to shut down Schmidt\u2019s men.<\/p>\n
But Stockdale believes it is too facile to suggest that sharp analysis alone would ever be enough for a Test match upset.<\/p>\n
Asked if Japan had outlined the framework for a victory over Ireland, Stockdale replied: \u201cI don\u2019t know if it\u2019s as easy as that; there\u2019s a lot more factors there, like a home World Cup and a really passionate crowd.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought the support in the game (generally) was class but there it really was incredible, just so passionate.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot more than just doing analysis to beat a team. I thought they played well and we didn\u2019t match it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the nature of rugby \u2013 it\u2019s not just that if you do your analysis you\u2019ll beat somebody.\u201d<\/p>\n