Schmidt leaves door open for Irish World Cup hopefuls

Joe Schmidt has shown there is still a chance to win Test recognition in a World Cup year, his last as Ireland head coach, after naming three uncapped Connacht backs in his squad for the first two rounds of the 2019 Guinness Six Nations.

Ireland open the defence of the title they won in Grand Slam style at Twickenham last year with a return date against England in Dublin on February 2 before travelling to Edinburgh to face Scotland a week later.