Ireland’s stuttering form and the losses they posted in their last two outings may have curbed the enthusiasm levels, but Joe Schmidt will be entitled a discreet smile and maybe a sigh of relief when the door of the plane taking them to over the Irish Sea swings shut tomorrow.

SITTING cold and numb, physically and emotionally, in the stand at Pearse Stadium last Saturday after yet another one point defeat to supposedly inferior opposition, it did not take long for my mobile to start bleeping.