Western gale blowing through Irish ranks

“They’re all Irish players to me”, said Joe Schmidt on Saturday evening.

Maybe, but try telling that to anyone in Connacht’s rugby fraternity this week as they digest the import of Saturday’s Six Nations meeting with Italy: one which ended with five of their number wearing a different shade of green together for the first time.

There have been some churlish naysayers. Aren’t there always? Birth certificates stamped in Hawera in New Zealand, the Australian capital of Canberra, Paris, Barking and even Athlone have and can be used to poke holes in the feelgod factor.