Jared Payne is beginning to feel more at ease and at home in the Irish set-up, and particularly so yesterday when the Irish team went through their paces against the Ulster academy players at his adopted Kingspan Stadium home patch.

He hasn’t torn up any trees yet, but he’s hardly made a mistake, and has done most things with his customary assurance and, typically of an innate footballer, also with that uncanny knack of his of having time on the ball. That said, he admits to finding the step up from provincial level a test in every sense.

‘Physical side’

“There are a range of things, It is hard to put one finger on it. There is the physical side, played some big teams. Then just the systems, you have to got to be a bit sharper there, less time to make a decision, less time to take a kick less time to make a bad read in defence. Just the timing and physicality and that it is a bit quicker.”

For sure, he is probably more familiar and effective with the role of fullback, but then all of the Irish three-quarter line have played chunks of their career at fullback, and with Rob Kearney the occupant of that jersey it makes sense to utilise Payne’s ability at outside centre while also converting Robbie Henshaw into an inside centre.

It's assuredly helped Payne's arrival in Test rugby to be playing outside Johnny Sexton, for whom his admiration is palpable. "Johnny? He's right up there, isn't he? He's one of the best 10s around in terms of his range of skills, his game control it's right up there. He's right up there with players I've played with and against."

Payne noted, with a little irony, that he is actually enjoying an unusual run of games in one position, albeit he admitted in characteristic fashion for members of this squad that there were a few glitches in his performance against England.

“Personally, there were a few decisions I made, a few lines in defence that I can improve on a bit, bit square on a few things, but if I can do that it will be fine. As a team I cannot say too much (laughing) there were a few areas we looked at yesterday and today, but I am not going to give it all away and might get in trouble.

Human nature

“It was just like the other games,” added Payne of Joe Schmidt’s latest, unforgiving, review. “He runs over the games with a fine tooth comb and yeah it is probably even a bit tougher than it has been because it was a good game and it is human nature maybe to open up a bit more after something like that.

“Once we got into it, we realised we made a few errors and he pulled us up on them and we are hoping to improve on those and get better.”

Next up comes a first appearance at the Millennium Stadium, "if selected" as he continually mentioned, and against the most established and proven midfield he and Henshaw will come up against in this championship.

“We’re going to have to prepare for everything. They’re pretty direct at 12 and 13 but with subtle skills as well.”