Joe Schmidt happy to get Ireland charges back to base

Ireland’s RBS 6 Nations title-chasing squad returned to their Co Kildare training base last night under no illusions about the size of the task facing them in Wales next weekend.

Joe Schmidt’s squad checked back into the team hotel just hours after the Newport Gwent Dragons sealed victory over Ulster at Rodney Parade to complete a Guinness Pro12 clean sweep by the Welsh regions over Irish provinces at the weekend.

The Irish management will release a medical bulletin today, with fly-half Johnny Sexton expected to remain the chief concern for next Saturday’s round four visit to Cardiff.