Has Chris Farrell put his name on a starting jersey?

If there had been any misgivings in the Irish management think tank about Chris Farrell taking the next big step in his Test career, the Munster centre’s first few minutes of his Six Nations debut will have dispelled them.

A big hit on Leigh Halfpenny and an aerial take of a Johnny Sexton restart after the Wales full-back had kicked the opening points for the visitors in the second minute will have offered head coach Joe Schmidt the assurance that here’s a player willing to grab his chance to fill the vacuum at outside centr.

The role of the backline defensive leader at 13 cannot be underestimated and Ireland have been blessed by a string of midfield generals, from Brian O’Driscoll through Payne and onto Henshaw. So when the latter failed to get up off the deck after scoring early in the second half of Ireland’s bonus-point win over Italy a fortnight earlier in round two and with Ringrose not match ready to take his place on his return from injury, the gaze turned towards Farrell and brows began to furrow.