It has been a strained week. So, when Joe Schmidt took his seat in the drawing room of the Carton House hotel yesterday, it was no surprise to see 20 recording devices, as well as half a dozen radio and television microphones, placed on the table in front of him. The drawing room, all grandeur and marble, looks out on to the vast lawns of this Kildare estate. Yet the serene backdrop was not matched by the mood of the room. Prior to Schmidt arriving, a press officer addressed those in attendance.

Source: The Times February 02, 2018 00:00 UTC