Joe Schmidt delight at performance of emerging stars

Joe Schmidt has warned his injured frontliners against assuming they can walk straight back into the Ireland starting XV as he looks forward to life with a full squad at his disposal.

Ireland’s 51-15 victory over Italy at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday was Schmidt’s first victory of the campaign and a reward, he said, for the hard work his injury-hit squad had put in during the 2016 RBS 6 Nations.

With one game to play, at home to Scotland on Saturday evening, there is a chance of a top-three finish for the outgoing back-to-back champions and victory would be the ideal launch point for preparations to get under way for a daunting June tour to South Africa.