now crank up the pressure on his players
intend to win, putting pressure on them to deliver.
As a coach you need to know who can cope and who cannot.
We made it very clear in 2003 how important the Ireland Grand Slam decider was. We were going to Dublin unbeaten in the tournament but they had not lost, either. In my mind we had to beat them and beat them well, if we had designs on winning the World Cup later that year. I pressurised the players and they delivered, winning 42-6 at Lansdowne Road.
This time Schmidt’s Ireland are red-hot favourites against England. The World Cup is a monkey on their backs, so promoting this game could ramp up the pressure on the hosts, too.
Ireland have never made a World Cup semi-final.
Aside from the 2015 nightmare, England usually do well in World Cups.
We have won the thing once and should have won a couple more.
England are like Australia in that sense — they usually do well in World Cup year.
Ireland have no history of success, though. So by being named one of the favourites for the tournament Schmidt, captain Rory Best and the other Ireland players are in uncharted territory.
Schmidt has done so much brilliant work with Ireland, but this year is where it all counts. There will be no slaps on the back when he leaves if he does not get the Irish over the line in 2019.
As a coach or a player you have to take these opportunities of a lifetime — if you don’t you’ll be staring in the mirror forever.
For Gatland it is similar because of the fact that in Wales, more than anywhere else, he’ll be judged on his last performances not the amazing years he has already had with their national team.
I would love a northern hemisphere team to win the World Cup.
It would be a disaster to have three or even two southern hemisphere teams in the semi-finals again later this year.
How good would it be to have three northern hemisphere teams in the last four?
So this is the moment in the sun for the coaches.
Their time to shine.