Bowe aims to nail down place on the wing

Tommy Bowe admits he’s playing catch-up in the race to bag a starting spot in Joe Schmidt’s Ireland team for next month’s Guinness Series when Australia, Georgia and South Africa pitch up at the Aviva Stadium.

The Ulster winger has endured two injury-affected seasons and missed out on last year’s Six Nations win as well as the summer two-Test tour to Argentina but is back now with a full pre-season under his belt.

“There’s been a few one and two-day camps at the start of this season and if you miss out on one week — two days with Joe — you find you have to play catch up a little bit. He doesn’t wait for people. If you’re not on the ball, well, that’s your own tough luck.”