Steve Hansen: Joe Schmidt has worked around Irish limitations

Steve Hansen has turned up the temperature for Saturday's hotly-anticipated clash between Ireland and New Zealand at the Aviva Stadium by suggesting that Joe Schmidt has succeeded in spite of some perceived weaknesses on the part of his players.

A master of the barely disguised barb, the All Black head coach spent two seasons in the top job with Wales – who lost eleven straight tests under his watch at one point – between 2002 and 2004 and it was a spell he referenced when asked if he 'liked' the way that Schmidt's Ireland team played.