The Irish are muscling in on French rugby conversation again. Ulster walloping Montpellier at the Stade Yves-du-Manoir last Saturday has catapulted Mark Anscombe’s squad into talk about eventual Heineken Cup winners.

Talking to Jonny Sexton the other day, we started swapping secrets about psychological baggage from Leinster clashes with Munster.

HERE’S a news flash from France on attitudes to the Heineken Cup — it doesn’t move the discussion dial here. And it is seldom lunchtime chat either for the players with clubs who kick off the road to Cardiff this weekend.

IN the days before last year’s Heineken Cup quarter-final for Munster against Harlequins, I was asked about retirement by the press. I said at the time if anyone was enjoying their career as much as I was, why would they want to walk away from it?

The complexities of Cork men remain the same, it’s just the venues that change.

I kind of lost my appetite for the Lions on Wednesday morning, which is strange. There’s sentiment and romance.

SOMETIMES it takes a shortage to appreciate water. Or a power blackout to get the fundamental importance of electricity.

It’s close now.

Joe Schmidt may be only maintaining a watching brief on the North American tour, but no-one should mistake that for not being busy. It seems like he’s going to scan the globe for a forwards coach, while the other vacant position in a reconfigured Irish backroom team would be a skills/kicking coach.

WHEN does a tour really become a tour? The first match? The first bust-up? The first grind-it-out victory?