Absent friends will be missed in Japan

And before we know it, another season comes to a sudden and dramatic end. At least it finished on a positive note with Leinster retaining their Guinness PRO14 title in front of a record crowd of 47,128 brave souls at a rainswept Celtic Park in Glasgow.

Normally around this time, Joe Schmidt is left surveying the walking wounded in an effort to decide who should travel on some tour or other Down Under with Ireland and who would benefit from an extended break.