Joe Schmidt taken to hospital after Ireland win

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt was taken to hospital after the 26-23 win over Australia with a suspected bout of a appendicitis.

The Kiwi was unable to attend his post-match press conference at the Aviva Stadium, having endured the game despite his condition, and was taken instead to hospital for tests.

“He is just going to be assessed,” said Les Kiss, Ireland’s defence coach who double jobs as Ulster Director of Rugby. “He has had some pretty bad stomach pains during the day. He toughed out the game in true Joe quality.”

An update is expected tomorrow.

“Things rolled along as they normally do,” Kiss added.

Speaking to RTE in the immediate aftermath, Schmidt praised the phenomenal workrate of his side, in particular his captain Paul O'Connell, and those players who were not on the pitch today, who he expects to see back fit and fighting for their places come the Six Nations.

"There was a little sense of de javu but it didn't quite feel like it did last year," said Schmidt, referring to the last-gasp defeat to New Zealand 12 months ago. "Paul o'Connell led from the front, a couple of fantastic tackles in that last set of Australia attacks, other guys got with him and it was great to see Ian Madigan on the poach at the end."

The coach added that it was "still pretty frustrating" to see his side surrender a 17-point lead after tries from Simon Zebo and Tommy Bowe were cancelled out by Nick Phipps (twice) and Bernard Foley.

“Some super play from Nick Phipps, they’ve just got so many dangerous players that we couldn’t afford to be loose,” he added. “We tried to get a bit more linespeed ourselves, I thought we were pretty passive in the first half, it wasn’t what we planned but that’s the way it worked out.

“Whereas they were quite the opposite, they bullied us in the first half and it made it very difficult to get any go-forward and to get any structure in our game because we were continually going back to go forward. We got back to not get very far forward and then we’re under pressure.

“But I thought it (Zebo’s) was a great try, great vision form Jonny (Sexton) to see that space behind, we suspected it might be there, and a great move from Simon Zebo to show his pace and collect it. We were under the hammer when Tommy got an intercept but probably at the same time we got a bit of a break and they scored, and it just shows the fine margins that exist.

Asked about the input of the players over the autumn series, he added: ""I think this group and a few others have contributed. Guys like Chris Henry, who was so important for us in the Six Nations, and Andrew Trimble and Dave Kearney.

“There’s a whole list who really built the first half of the season for us and these guys have finished it off. It’s great that they’ll be contesting the spots with each other hopefully if everybody’s fit and able.”