A rare window of opportunity for Ireland to build strength in depth

The opportunities are dwindling to expose Ireland’s less experienced Test players and build strength in depth ahead of the next World Cup.

There just 22 months to go until Joe Schmidt sends out his team for the opening pool game against Scotland in Yokohama. Take a month off that for the deadline the Ireland head coach has to meet to name his 31-man squad and there are 18 Tests plus a couple of practice games available to him to pick the right men for the job.

Ten of those games will come in the 2018 and 2019 Six Nations championships while there is a three-Test, tier-one tour to Australia next June which also lends itself to picking the strongest line-ups.