Gregor Paul: Blues success shows what Joe Schmidt can do with the All Blacks

OPINION
If the defining quality Joe Schmidt is bringing to his All Blacks coaching role is clinical analysis devoid of warmth and small talk then he'll be a high value asset.

There was commentary over the weekend that not all of Ireland's players loved him when he was coaching there between 2013 and 2019, some finding his intensity a little overbearing and his relentless focus on rugby rendering him a touch impersonal.

But it is almost certain that all of Ireland's players respected him and accept that he had a massive bearing on their transition from nearly-men to consistent winners.

Schmidt, by all accounts, got results in Ireland not by creating a soft and warm environment, but by instead injecting something much more valuable, which was a sense of discomfort.

Most of Ireland's leading players today would say too many of the previous generation liked a drink and a bit of craic, and while they subscribed to the work hard, play hard adage, many could have worked harder.

Ian Foster and Joe Schmidt talk ahead of the 2019 Rugby World Cup quarter-final between the All Blacks and Ireland. Photo / Getty

Hence the value of Schmidt. He didn't tolerate standards that were below expectation and the players became aware they were being watched, judged and analysed to relentlessly drive out micro improvements.

According to former player Stephen Ferris, Schmidt needled under the skin of his squad to demand more, readily binning those who couldn't cope with there being no place to hide.

Not everyone liked the style or the man, but Ireland benefitted enormously. They toughened up mentally and were no longer willing to accept that being plucky losers was their benchmark.

Ireland became fitter, stronger, better organised and a heavy dose of Schmidt is exactly what the All Blacks need this year.

It's apparent that he's already had a significant influence at the Blues where he is working until July in a part-time capacity.

The Blues these past two seasons were in a remarkably similar state to how Ireland were tracking in the two years before Schmidt arrived.

They were an improving team, capable of winning much of the time but prone to mental lapses and soft patches that would see them fade out of big contests or blow games they should have won.

Even last year, the Blues were guilty during Super Rugby Aotearoa of collapsing under pressure and in a five-horse race, failed to make the final.

They don't appear to be plagued by uncertainty now and for the first time since they won the title in 2003, the Blues are winning rather than talking about their desire to once again be winning.

Much like Ireland back in 2013, the resolve has stiffened. The players look fitter, stronger and the tenacity of their defence speaks to their commitment and unity.

Individual work rates are higher, accuracy is much improved and there is a calm and certainty about their decision-making under pressure in a way there never previously used to be.

Again, just like Ireland, it looks like the Blues have collectively decided to raise their personal standards and not buy into the idea that they can get close and feel good about life.

Maybe it is heaping too much praise on Schmidt to say that it is his presence alone which has been the transformational element at the Blues this year, but it seems too much of a coincidence that he arrives and they beat the Crusaders in Christchurch for the first time in 18 years.

It seems too much of a coincidence that a coach renowned for building high intensity cultures where players are pushed outside their comfort zone and never certain about their selection, enjoys its breakthrough moment months after he arrives.

When the Blues picked themselves up after flopping in Super Rugby Aotearoa to win the transtasman title last year, it was apparent they were heading in the right direction: that head coach Leon MacDonald was beginning to make headway with the team's cohesion, resilience and strategic application.

The transtasman title, however, came without facing genuine resistance and even as they basked in their championship win, there were still doubts about their readiness.

While they were improved, the Blues were still a way off being capable of consistently winning against the toughest teams.

That doubt has lessened and the biggest difference between this year and last is the arrival of Schmidt who has obviously poked about in the heads of the players and made them question how much they are ready to give.

Friction is vital for high performance cultures. They need an edge, an energy that comes from a voice that is not dissenting but is constantly challenging.

Schmidt knows that his job is not to win friends, but titles and New Zealand should welcome more stories that come out of Ireland which portray him as polarising and not universally popular.