Stephen Archer still targeting World Cup call

If you are good enough to play for your province more or less every week from September to May, an expectation to figure in your country’s plans in World Cup year would be perfectly reasonable. That is especially the case if you happen to be a prop forward, with Joe Schmidt likely to bring three loosehead and three tighthead props to Japan next September.

Given that Munster’s Stephen Archer wasn’t involved with Ireland in Rome on Sunday and not required for the recent national panel camps at Carton House, there may be a view abroad that he will be among the disappointed when Schmidt announces his 31-strong panel for Japan in August. Right now, it does seem that Tadhg Furlong, Andrew Porter and ‘Archie’s’ Munster teammate John Ryan are a safer bet.