Schmidt taking 'calculated' risk by having Madigan cover scrum-half

“There is a degree of risk no matter what you've got and we feel it's something we can manage with the cover we have got. There are super resources here.”

By Simon Lewis

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt revealed using Ian Madigan as a back-up scrum-half had been at the back of his mind since last season as he explained his reasoning for taking just two specialist number nines to this month's World Cup.