Ireland putting in hard yards in Portugal

Ireland are confident their seven-day warm-weather training camp in Portugal will stand them in good stead for the heat and humidity they can expect during their World Cup campaign in Japan next month.

Joe Schmidt’s 40-strong playing group have been on the Algarve at the Quinta do Lago campus near Faro since leaving their regular base at Carton House last Wednesday and have been training during the hottest parts of the day when temperatures have been regularly topping 30C.