Bruised Wallace feels the frustration

YOU can’t teach an old dog new tricks, so goes the wisdom. Spare a thought then for a couple of old guys in the back row of Ireland team that was so comprehensively outplayed by the All Blacks on Saturday evening.

Alan Quinlan (34) and David Wallace (32) have been around the block a few times with both Munster and Ireland, but this was surely one of the biggest challenges they’ve ever faced.

Not just because it was the All Blacks, but because it was a settled New Zealand setup coming off a recent successful run of tough matches, while Ireland were heading into their first real test under a new coach, new coaching staff, with new calls, new playbook, and new combinations at half-back, centre, and back three.