Joe Schmidt set to call big guns into action for second Test

Joe Schmidt is preparing to welcome his big guns for Saturday’s must-win Test against Australia in Melbourne.

Six Nations title frontliners Johnny Sexton, Garry Ringrose, Dan Leavy, Tadhg Furlong, and Cian Healy could all start this weekend as Ireland look to level the three-Test series with the Wallabies at AAMI Park having lost the opening game 18-9 in Brisbane last Saturday.

The quintet all started the Grand Slam-clinching final game against England at Twickenham on March 17 but the Leinster men, along with replacements that day Devin Toner and Andrew Porter were either benched or omitted from the matchday squad at Suncorp Stadium as the Australians inflicted a first defeat on Ireland since March 2017.