Joe Schmidt likely to stick with Chicago starters

Joe Schmidt will announce his Ireland side for Saturday’s rematch against the All Blacks at lunchtime today, and he is expected to stick with the same players who started in that famous win over the world champions in Chicago.

There is one place in that XV up for grabs with Jordi Murphy ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, and Gerry Thornley suggests it will be the experience of Sean O’Brien which gets him the nod to start over Leinster team-mate Josh van der Flier.

He also predicts the high competition for places in the backrow will see Peter O’Mahony and Iain Henderson left out of the match day 23, while Paddy Jackson is likely to replace Iain Henderson on the bench.

Steven Hansen to call on secondrows

Meanwhile Steve Hansen is likely to be able to call upon one if not both of his totemic secondrows, with Brodie Retallick fit again and Sam Whitelock in a race to prove his fitness for the Aviva.

Shane Lowry looking to end season in style

The World Tour Championship is underway in Dubai, with British Open champion Henrik Stenson in pole position to take the Race to Dubai title.

Shane Lowry may be well out of the frame for that prize, but he is looking to finish a mixed season in style as the curtain comes down on 2016, he writes: “This week we’re in Dubai - not quite hot enough to fry an egg on a stone but close - and next week I’m teaming up with Graeme McDowell to represent Ireland in the World Cup in Melbourne. It gives me two weeks to turn what I consider an average season so far into a great one.”

Lowry is currently one under par through eight holes, while Padraig Harrington is level after 15 holes. Rory McIlroy, who has a major task on his hands to usurp Stenson, tees off at 8.30am with the Swede out with Danny Willett at 8.40am.