Rhys Ruddock: Eight years on and Joe Schmidt still keeps everyone on their toes

Joe Schmidt has in the past that Ireland’s players, especially those who first served under him with Leinster, must be sick of the sound of his voice given eight years have elapsed since he first arrived from New Zealand via France.

Performances and results say otherwise and Rhys Ruddock, captain of the side that faces the USA at the Aviva Stadium today and one of the Leinster cohort who have been under Schmidt’s wing since 2010, is insistent that familiarity has not bred anything like contempt.