Stuart Lancaster has labeled Jonathan Sexton as the “complete” player and suggested the out-half could even emulate Tom Brady by excelling at the elite level beyond his 40th birthday.

It is a good job Josh van der Flier is a glass-half-full type of character. Only someone of a positive and optimistic disposition could view sitting in the stands in Bilbao this weekend as a sign of progress.

Bordeaux may have to prepare for another Irish invasion.