It sounds like Joe Schmidt would like to have a strong word with the Six Nations fixtures compiler

One training session is not a lot.

But that is all Joe Schmidt's Ireland are going to have ahead of Saturday's trip to Paris as the head coach picks up the pieces following a punishing draw with Wales. Keith Earls is likely to miss out with a concussion, while Johnny Sexton and Tommy O'Donnell also nurse minor injuries but, speaking on Morning Ireland on RTÉ Radio One, Schmidt said the whole squad was battered after an attritional encounter with Wales.

"Getting such a big team first up and having the ball in play for 39-odd minutes and both teams were suffering at the end of it a bit, [Wales] have to welcome Scotland at the weekend and it's a little more complicated for us travelling to France. "We'll get one training in on Thursday and we'll have a light run today and we'll see how we go."

Last year Ireland's final two games, away to Wales and Scotland, were seven days apart, which brought it's own logistical and recovery concerns. The only previous six-day Six Nations turnaround in Schmidt's time came int he opening two games of 2014 - when Ireland played Scotland at the Aviva on the opening Sunday, followed by Wales in Dublin the following Saturday. It is not unprecedented, however. In fact Eddie O'Sullivan's Ireland played away to Italy on the opening Sunday of the 2005 Six Nations before playing away to Scotland the following Saturday, which is a tougher ask logistically, if not physically, than what Schmidt's men must do this week. France battled past Italy on the opening day but Schmidt saw enough in the performance to consider Guy Noves new look side a serious threat, even if he expects them to rein in their play a little for the visit of the champions. Lots to do in that one training session.