THE most satisfied man in Irish rugby last Sunday night was Joe Schmidt. On a weekend that saw the return to action of Rory Best, Conor Murray, Simon Zebo and Cian Healy, following hot on the heals of Chris Henry and Tommy O’Donnell, Ireland’s squad for the upcoming Six Nations — announced yesterday with all bar Zebo included — received a serious boost.

Another week, another new tournament on the horizon.

While it’s customary to reflect on rugby events at this time of year, I no more than you have an appetite for that.

Despite the gale-force winds that lashed the Irish coast and wreaked havoc for the aviation industry, flight FR 1548 from Perpignan to Shannon last Saturday night was a great place to be.

Maybe that agonising defeat to New Zealand has a legacy after all. At least in determining a starting point for what proved an extraordinary weekend for the Irish provinces in Europe, the All Blacks surely played their part.

THE end is in sight, even if we are not quite there yet.

Richie McCaw: His men can deal with the big occasions.

The radio ads for Friday night’s production of Alone it Stands in Dublin, the play depicting the events surrounding Munster’s historic win over New Zealand in 1978, was marketed as the last ever staging of the show.

Ireland need a quick fix in three key areas...

Gentleman, that he is, Beaumont whispers to Moss “may the best team win”.