Schmidt sidesteps residency ruling`

Joe Schmidt has refused to become embroiled in the debate about whether the three-year residency rule should be extended before a player is eligible to play international rugby in an adopted country.

He named four uncapped players in his 30-man squad for the two-match tour of Argentina next month with Ulster’s South African back rower Robbie Diack poised to become the latest project player to be capped.

Indeed, three of the uncapped players were born outside Ireland but Connacht scrum-half Kieran Marmion from Wales and Ulster hooker Rob Herring, who was born in Cape Town, were eligible before they moved here. James Cronin is the other uncapped player, the Ballincollig native crowning a glorious breakthrough season with inclusion.