Cardiff. The very mention of the city’s name has long been enough to bring a broad smile to the faces of Irish rugby fans.

A devastated Joe Schmidt assessed the wreckage of Ireland’s World Cup campaign and promised to move mountains to get his side primed and ready for next year’s Six Nations title defence and a daunting three-Test series in South Africa.

Argentina 43 Ireland 20: So the wait goes on. Ireland’s quest for a first World Cup semi-final appearance had never been in better hands and yet here we all are again, staring into the abyss for another four years after another deeply disappointing demise at the last-eight stage.