No fear of burnout for Ireland, insists Joe Schmidt

Head coach Joe Schmidt has dismissed fears of his players suffering burnout as he prepares his Ireland side for their 15th Test of the season.

When their three-game tour of South Africa concludes in Port Elizabeth on June 25, the squad members who played at the World Cup will have been on the go for almost a calendar year, but Schmidt revealed most of his front-liners have actually played less this season than last.

Ireland touched down in Cape Town on Monday without leading players like Sean O’Brien, Cian Healy, Tommy Bowe, Peter O’Mahony, Rob Kearney, Luke Fitzgerald and, crucially, Johnny Sexton and there are doubts about their ability to perform after such an arduous season.