Joe Schmidt: Two wins the ideal platform to take on tough challenges ahead

There is always a bottom line in sport and for Ireland this weekend it is clearly beating Italy and notching a first win of this RBS 6 Nations championship.

Which means there is no room for experimentation as far as Joe Schmidt is concerned.

The head coach yesterday ignored the clamour for new blood in these final two games of the campaign and instead named a team to face the point-less Italians in Dublin this Saturday with as much experience as he could muster.