Kieran Shannon: Irish rugby's long journey still has distance to travel

Hundreds of behind-the-scenes moments make Touching Distance by Brendan Fanning one of the most engrossing, entertaining and informative Irish rugby books.

DEAD MAN WALKING: Ireland head coach Eddie O'Sullivan in conversation with captain Ronan O'Gara before the Six Nations meeting with England in 2008. Picture: Brendan Moran / SPORTSFILE  

When did some reporters suspect Joe Schmidt’s command of the Irish setup was on the wane?

A month out from the 2019 World Cup when the squad were on training camp in Portugal, the team management squared off an evening to have a few drinks with members of the media. After a couple of beers Schmidt rose to his feet, expecting his assistants to follow. Only they stayed put. “It was an awkward moment,” noted someone who was there. “It felt like there was a power shift, or at least that they were no longer hanging on his every word.”