Schmidt’s Ireland eyeing more than southern scalps

Ireland 26 Australia 23

It will probably take the rest period enforced by the removal of his appendix on Saturday for Joe Schmidt to reflect on a job well done with Ireland over the last 12 months.

Then again, the head coach who has driven the national team to fresh heights in 2014 with a Six Nations title, Guinness Series sweep and a No 3 position in the world rankings is not one to look back and ponder what has gone before. That would be wasting time, even in a hospital bed.