Nothing but perfection will do for Joe Schmidt

New week. New team. This evening’s Guinness Series opener against Canada at Aviva Stadium may have all the hallmarks of the calm following a storm given the history that was made in Chicago seven days ago, but then again this is an Ireland squad coached by Joe Schmidt.

Second-tier opposition it may well be visiting Dublin, but the keenest mind in world rugby will demand a performance from his much-changed XV every bit as accurate and intense as the one that ran in five tries past All Blacks at Soldier Field, and preferably one that makes fewer mistakes.

For while the rest of us were basking in the reflected glory of that epic 40-29 victory and wallowing in the feat of turning over the best team in the history of the sport for the first time in 111 years, Schmidt was pondering the “what ifs” of Ireland’s performance and reflecting on the chances Steve Hansen’s side missed that would could have easily made it a 29th consecutive failure since 1905 to beat a New Zealand team.