Joe Schmidt’s special bond with the Six Nations

The beginning of Joe Schmidt’s Six Nations career could have been so much smoother.

On Sunday, February 2, 2014, the New Zealander had his morning rudely interrupted with an 8am phone call to tell him his captain would not be fit for purpose. Paul O’Connell, installed as skipper by Schmidt when he succeeded Declan Kidney as Ireland boss for his first games in Test rugby the previous November, had gone down with a chest infection and was being ruled out of the opening round clash with Scotland later that day at the Aviva Stadium.