A delicate balancing act as Johnny battles on two fronts

Things can change quickly when you’re coaching. Things happen and new challenges have to be faced.

Preparing for tomorrow’s Top 14 game against Bayonne, everything was organised around Juan Martin Hernandez, and then on the Thursday morning he comes in and he’s sick and he’s ruled out for the weekend.

That complicates the issue for Ireland more so than for Racing Metro. We’re all looking to maximise Johnny’s ability, because I think when he’s happy as a person, he plays his best rugby. When he left us for the Six Nations after the Toulouse game, he left in a great frame of mind. He was happy with his form going into Irish camp and going back playing with all his Leinster players and it just flowed for him from there. It flowed in those last two internationals.