Irish ready to go into maximum overdrive

It was Samoa who provided the opposition for Joe Schmidt’s introduction to Test rugby as Ireland’s head coach, way back when in November 2013.

The New Zealander and this team may have seen a lot of water under the bridge together since then and there is not much left to run before their boss departs the scene but you get a sense from Ireland’s demeanour this week that the Pacific Islanders will not be allowed to add another bookend to Schmidt’s nearly seven-year tenure.