Donnacha Ryan’s move to France could end his Ireland career.

Joe Schmidt has given warning to Munster’s Donnacha Ryan that his move to join Racing 92 in France will make it “more difficult” for him to continue to be selected for Ireland.

The Tipperary man is set to leave Munster at the end of the season for the French club.

Schmidt was at the Punchestown Festival yesterday, and when asked on Ryan the Ireland head coach Schmidt said that if Ryan were to move abroad it could prove damaging for his international career.

He said:

“The door’s not closed on anyone but it is more difficult,”.

“We pick the guys from home, they’re guys who stay here – they’ve always got their nose in front, really.

“You never say never but, certainly, with young guys like Ultan Dillane and the like coming through, hopefully, we’re going to keep building guys through.

“As good as Donnacha has been for us, particularly in recent times, there are other guys who will hopefully come though and put a bit of pressure on.”

Last weekend saw both Leinster and Munster lose their Champions Cup semi-finals to Clermont and Saracens and asked for his observations on both matches Schmidt replied:

“I thought for the first 20 minutes Munster were really super, they got very close to putting Saracens under all sorts of pressure.

“They didn’t quite convert it on the scoreboard, unfortunately.

“Leinster probably did the reverse.

“The first 20 minutes wasn’t great but they got better and better as the game went on and were probably a little bit unlucky at the end of it.”

The summer tour of the United States and Japan is going to be brilliant and Schmidt is looking forward to the prospect of working with recent coaching recruits Ronan O’Gara, Felix Jones and Girvan Dempsey.

“It’s great to have ROG come in, and Girv, and Felix. I think they’re three good, young guys who are going to contribute to rugby coaching in the future.

“They were three outstanding players who understand the game really well.”