Rory Best: ‘If you don’t get a result this weekend there’s massive pressure on’

Ireland’s stuttering form and the losses they posted in their last two outings may have curbed the enthusiasm levels, but Joe Schmidt will be entitled a discreet smile and maybe a sigh of relief when the door of the plane taking them to over the Irish Sea swings shut tomorrow.

Sitting with him will be 31 players, none of whom will be carrying anything approximating to a serious injury. Any Band Aids that travel will be stowed in the hold. All systems are go. In that sense, it is about as ideal a starting point as the Ireland coach could have wished for.

Yet, rugby is a contact sport. The players featuring in this year’s Rugby World Cup will be fitter, stronger and more explosive than ever before. Injuries are inevitable and Schmidt and his coaching colleagues will likely have to dip deep into their playing pool before their return.