Kiss not taking bows until Ireland pass the ‘acid test’

Les Kiss could be forgiven for lapping up the acclaim this week but Ireland’s defence coach has dismissed the plaudits for his team’s stinginess and warned that England in Twickenham will be his acid test.

The only member of the coaching staff to span the Declan Kidney and Joe Schmidt eras, Kiss has enjoyed a good start to the Six Nations with Ireland conceding just nine points, zero tries and few line breaks in the defeats of Scotland and Wales.

It was, to be fair, an area where the team already impressed in recent times with only five tries conceded in all of last season’s tournament despite the litany of injuries and slump in results — and none of that quintet were conceded against England.