Ireland must get smart and adjust to referees, says Joe Schmidt after defeat by Wales

The Ireland players looked positively crestfallen at the final whistle in Cardiff, not entirely able to comprehend how they had managed to squander 64 per cent possession and 66 per cent territory in Saturday’s pulsating 23-16 loss to Wales.

Fast forward one hour, however, and head coach Joe Schmidt was his usual phlegmatic self, cautioning the attendant media not to read too much into the result and insisting that minor tweaks were required rather than anything more drastic.

One thing Schmidt did admit to was the need for Ireland to get better at improvising on the pitch when Plan A wa…