Through their eight years in both Leinster and Ireland, Johnny Sexton and Joe Schmidt developed reputations as two of the great minds of Irish rugby, with the pair becoming renowned for their then-revolutionary plays.
Utilising that genius, the pair would go on to orchestrate a period of unprecedented success for Irish rugby, claiming an Amlin Challenge Cup, two Heineken Cups and three Six Nations including an illusive Grand Slam together.
However, with the success came pressure, and by the time Schmidt's tenure in Ireland was coming to an end, his style of rugby was under attack.
A narrative quickly formed laying the blame for Ireland's difficulties at Schmidt's feet. With much of the media and fans citing Schmidt's over-reliance on kicking and quickly ageing style of rugby as the main reason for the country's woes.
Sexton rubbishes old Joe Schmidt attacking myth
However, his once partner in crime Johnny Sexton has rubbished the idea, launching an ardent defence of his former coach and the style of rugby used during his tenure on the Island.
Sexton was speaking on The Good, The Bad, The Rugby when he made the claims, calling his former coach a 'genius'.
He had probably the biggest influence (on me)....what he thought me is embedded in my head, I'd still play games at the end of my career with his voice in my head....I'd probably need to go see a psychiatrist.
How he saw the game, he gets this type of reputation that he doesn't attack but he's just a smart coach. So if he sees a trend in the game he'll go with it. But his thing was a very simple message go to space if there's no space put the pressure on them.
He didn't care if you ran from behind your own try line and that's what I think some of the media forget. International rugby is very different, there's not a lot of space at times so you do have to play the kicking game. In Leinster we used to run everything, when we came to Ireland, international rugby not as much space you have to find a different way, we kicked a lot.
But he also saw the strengths in our backline we had Jared Payne playing 13 who was a fullback who was unbelievable in the air, we'd Robbie Henshaw playing 12...brilliant in the air. We'd a back three who were brilliant in the air so we used to kick a lot and we used to win the ball back most of the time. He's a genius Joe.
Sexton went on to hail the impact his former coach could have Down Under, rubbishing the idea that his style of rugby is no longer relevant in the international game.
While Schmidt's departure from coaching in Ireland may not have been the ending everyone hoped for, there's no doubt that he and Sexton launched Ireland to new heights in World Rugby and were the foundations of today's success.
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