JOE GOES DOWN MEMORY LANE

JOE SCHMIDT has given the Athlone hospitality and facilities his seal of approval as he took a trip down memory lane. The Ireland squad have traditionally used the fortnight’s gap between rounds two and three in the Six Nations to take a break from their usual Maynooth base. They previously went to Belfast, Clonmel, Mullingar and Monaghan at this time of the championship during Schmidt’s time in charge. Now Athlone has been added to that list. ‘The artificial pitch to get some organisation done, the grass pitch to get some hard work done and in between times there is great meetings spaces,’ he said. ‘We have really enjoyed the hospitality we have had and then today (at Dubarry Park), it’s always a bit of a lift for the players. ‘Although it did remind me of once when I was in Tullamore playing in a Provincial Towns Cup game (for Mullingar). ‘The referee said: “Well Mullingar, do you want to play with or against the sleet in the first-half?” When the hail was horizontal today it brought back a few memories; kind of love/hate memories. ‘You love the experience. At one stage I remember standing in behind the post protector, just trying to be as skinny as I could, which wasn’t difficult for me at the time, trying to stay out of that horizontal hail as it was. ‘So, really fantastic memories. The spirit of the support here, the volume of the noise, the enthusiasm of the people, that’s a lift for the players. ‘At the same time, it connects us with those people who are our supporters, and we want to make sure we keep our connection with them.’