Postcard from Tours: Ireland leave their mark on the Loire

As Tadhg Furlong wrapped up the final media assignment of the day at Stade de la Chambrerie, it marked the final bit of business at Ireland's home for the last five weeks.

While the Wednesday press conference was going on, the trucks were rolling in to load up every last piece of kit and equipment Andy Farrell’s side had been using at their Tours training complex.

This morning, it’s on to Paris. The Thursday TGV train has been a regular part of the Irish squad’s week since they got to France in late August; first to Bordeaux, then on to Nantes and finally Paris, but this time they won’t be coming back.

If they win and advance to the quarter-finals it’ll be on to a new team camp on the outskirts of Paris, and it says a lot about how they’ve been welcomed to this small city of Tours that were it up to them, they’d be basing themselves here for as long as they could.

A city of around 135,000 people, there have been enough diversions to keep the players occupied but not enough to cause a distraction.

They’ve been close enough to Paris and Bordeaux and Nantes to get to their match venues inside a couple of hours on the train, but far enough away from them to be away from the World Cup bubble.

The locals have enjoyed having them around too, with the players and coaches often spotted sitting outside the local cafes in their free hours. And if they can’t be seen they can be heard. Walking through Place Plumereau on Saturday night, the sound of the squad singing in an upstairs restaurant was unmistakable as they enjoyed their weekend off.

Place Plumereau is the spot to be, a square of bars and restaurants and patio furniture with tiny cobbled streets meandering off it towards even more brasseries.

On Sunday night, it’s where the Irish