Jack McGrath operating ‘with another cylinder in the engine’

The man they call ‘Church’ may be back, but Joe Schmidt has kept faith with Jack McGrath.

The latter will start his fifth straight game for Ireland tomorrow. It is by far the biggest game in his young career and keeping Cian Healy on the bench for another week at least is maybe his greatest achievement, too.

Healy’s abilities have been the subject of songs of praise for some time and he has bagged just over an hour in the last fortnight for club and country as he seeks to retain full fitness after almost five months on the sideline.