The Joe Schmidt I saw doesn’t create robots, says Ronan O’Gara

For Ronan O’Gara, the small details left the biggest impression.

Joe Schmidt has permitted few people to peek into the inner sanctum of his dressing-room, or his mind, and the former Munster out-half was left suitably impressed by the two weeks just spent with the Kiwi and his callow Ireland squad in Carton House and New Jersey.

He’d heard plenty about Schmidt through his network of contacts in the game, he’d even spoken to him many a time down the years, but O’Gara admitted yesterday that he had reported for duty in a coaching/observer capacity not knowing exactly what he should expect.