Bench players will have cheered Joe Schmidt

Joe Schmidt will today assess his injured players and walking wounded as he prepares for Saturday’s Test with Australia, the final game in this month’s Guinness Series.

Saturday’s 21-9 loss to New Zealand exacted a heavy toll on his playing pool with fly-half Johnny Sexton doubtful having been withdrawn after just 17 minutes at the Aviva Stadium with a hamstring issue. Robbie Henshaw, CJ Stander and Rob Kearney will also spend the week undergoing return to play protocols following head knocks during an intensely physical game with the All Blacks.

Yet Schmidt has been cheered by the contributions of those who have filled the breach already during the autumn Test window with Garry Ringrose, Paddy Jackson and Josh van der Flier plugging the gaps seamlessly at inside centre, fly-half and flanker respectively at the weekend.