Back to the future now for Joe Schmidt

Ireland 35 Scotland 25: DRIP, drip, drip. One by one the names have been dropping off Joe Schmidt’s tongue throughout this Six Nations campaign. They are the players who represent Ireland’s future and who could well be carrying the nation’s hopes into the 2019 World Cup.

Garry Ringrose, Matt Healy, Jack O’Donoghue, Stuart Olding, and Jack Carty are among those mentioned admiringly by Ireland’s head coach and assistants as being on the IRFU’s radar and many of them have been welcomed into training camp at Carton House these past few weeks.

Others have already been given their chance, Schmidt making Test players of CJ Stander, Stuart McCloskey, Josh van der Flier, Ultan Dillane, and Finlay Bealham across the five championship matches.