Victory just the tonic for Schmidt

A FREEZING cold day in Ravenhill probably wasn’t the most obvious prescription for someone suffering from a bad head cold over the Arctic-like Christmas period but Leinster’s visit to Belfast worked wonders for an under-the-weather Joe Schmidt.

Prior to that, it had been something of a miserable festive season for the Kiwi, who had spent the 25th on his own after his family returned home to New Zealand to spend the holiday season with their nearest and dearest for the first time in four years.

The rest of the Schmidts said goodbye to layers of snow and temperatures of minus 10 for a toasty 28-degree welcome back home but the old man was left feeling just as warm on the inside after an impressive and comfortable 30-13 win against Ulster.