O’Connell slips back into old routine in Kildare

New coaching staff. Newseason. Same difference. Thus far, anyway.

Joe Schmidt got his hands dirty for the first time as Ireland coach over the past 48 hours with a national training camp at Carton House and the differences from Declan Kidney’s era have, by all accounts, been minimal.

Perhaps the only surprise is that anyone would expect reports of tectonic shifts in personnel, style or everyday doings among Team Ireland at such an early juncture.