Long goodbye.

Ireland’s chances of retaining the Six Nations this year might be slim – but tomorrow’s game against France at the Aviva Stadium has some pretty significant meaning.

The fixture will be Joe Schmidt’s final Six Nations game at Ireland’s home before he walks away from his role as head coach after the Rugby World Cup in Japan later this year.

Schmidt will be back at the Aviva for some warm-up games later this year, but tomorrow will be his final competitive match as Ireland boss in Dublin. An end of an era for Ireland’s undisputed greatest ever coach.

Tomorrow will also likely mark captain Rory Best’s final ever Six Nations and competitive fixture at the Aviva, with the 36-year-old “fairly certain” he’ll retire after the World Cup.

“I think it’s fairly certain that the World Cup will be the end for me,” Best today after Ireland’s captain’s run at the Aviva Stadium.

“I think that I feel really good, I don’t feel I’m playing any worse, I’m really enjoying rugby. I haven’t 100% made the decision but I’m fairly sure it will be, and part of the reason I’m enjoying rugby so much and I hope playing well is because there’s that weight lifted off.”

Ireland’s greatest ever coach and most successful captain. No doubt the Irish Rugby team will do their utmost to make sure it’s a memorable day.