Joe Schmidt: I’m still incredibly positive about this group

For all the travails of last weekend’s calamitous defeat by Japan, Joe Schmidt’s belief in his players and their potential to deliver the best World Cup return in Ireland’s rugby history remains steadfast.

The head coach confirmed his matchday squad for tomorrow’s Pool A game with Russia in the sauna that is the covered Kobe Misaki Stadium, handing the captaincy to his fit-again on-field general Johnny Sexton, and naming a replacements bench that reflects the superiority he is confident his team can display over a nation that is yet to record a Rugby World Cup victory in six attempts over two visits to the tournament in 2011 and 2019.