Jordi Murphy out for season

If there was one disappointment to take from Ireland’s 40-29 win over the All Blacks in Chicago last Saturday it was the knee injury which forced Jordi Murphy off on a stretcher. And yesterday it was revealed the Leinster flanker has torn his left ACL, meaning he now faces the rest of the season on the sidelines

Joe Schmidt is likely to ring the changes for Saturday’s second autumn Test against Canada at the Aviva Stadium, with Peter O’Mahony and Sean O’Brien likely to start and Garry Ringrose - an unused substitute at Soldier Field - set to make his full international debut.

Gerry Thornley on Joe Schmidt

In his column today Gerry Thornley pays tribute to Schmidt, the man who masterminded Ireland’s historic victory over his native New Zealand, he writes:

“Last Saturday was perhaps final proof, were it needed, that right now Ireland have a head coach who you wouldn’t exchange for any other in the world game.

“Hence, Joe Schmidt’s decision to extend his stay beyond the 2019 World Cup is a boon that leaves Ireland in a good place for years to come.”

James McCarthy out of Austria trip

Meanwhile James McCarthy has been ruled out of Ireland’s trip to play Austria in Vienna on Saturday night, following last week’s war of words between Martin O’Neill and Everton boss Ronald Koeman.

He joins Burnley and Derby County defenders, Stephen Ward and Cyrus Christie, on the list of absentees for the World Cup qualifier, however John O’Shea has been included in a trimmed down 28-man squad.

Mayo ready to do it again

After missing out on Sam Maguire in agonising fashion once more this year Mayo’s footballers are getting ready to do it all again. Sean Moran spoke to former panellist Martin Carney, he said: “There’s a remarkable resilience, a will to try to go out again, to start from base camp and go all the way to the top.”