Ryan gets break after ‘torrid trench warfare’ in Paris
Citing the heavy workload the 21-year-old Leinster lock got through in last Saturday’s victory over France in Paris on his Six Nations debut, head coach Schmidt omitted Ryan from this Saturday’s second-round matchday squad.
Devin Toner has been recalled from the bench last weekend to start in his 55th Test for Ireland with Quinn Roux promoted to the replacements as his Connacht team-mate Ultan Dillane withdrew due to a family bereavement.
Explaining Ryan’s absence at yesterday’s Ireland team announcement, Schmidt said: “James, it’s more precautionary than anything else.
“He is a young man who has had quite a few intermittent injury niggles through his development period into the professional career that he has now and so I think with some of those players it is about placing them.
“Now, he placed himself on Saturday in some of the most torrid trench warfare that you can imagine and won a lot more battles than he lost.
"I thought he was carrying incredibly strongly. His number of involvements was very high, his tackle reliability is fantastic so a lot of what James brings we just want to make sure we look after.
“Because he didn’t train on Tuesday we decided on Tuesday that he wouldn’t play this week so we didn’t bother training him today just as a precaution to give him a little bit more time so that potentially in camp in Athlone next week he can participate fully which is ideal in the competition going forward.”
During the Six Nations fallow week, starting next Monday, Ireland undertake a training camp in Athlone as preparations for the February 23 clash at home to Wales get underway.
Schmidt did not rule out a call-up for either out-of-favour full-back Simon Zebo or Munster-bound Scarlets lock Tadhg Beirne.
“Tadhg came in and visited us so he spent a little bit of time with us. He is well able to slot back in. Simon knows the environment inside out, he could easily slot back in. I would certainly (never) say never to those suggestions.
“At the same time, guys like Fergus McFadden miss out this week. He didn’t have many involvements but the two he had were super on the weekend.
"You have just got to keep an eye out and I will certainly be watching the Munster game (in which Zebo plays against Zebre on Saturday).
"The coaches will have a look through those (PRO14) games on Monday and then we can start thinking about the squad for Wales.”
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