Ireland talisman Johnny Sexton will return to full training with Ireland on Thursday ahead of the Guinness Six Nations opener against England.
The fly-half missed the last two Heineken Champions Cup pool games with a lower quad injury suffered against Munster just after Christmas.
Speaking at the official championship launch in London this morning, Schmidt also predicted that Iain Henderson is not likely to be available for selection until at least the final two fixtures against France and Wales.
Henderson, who had only just returned from a thumb injury, suffered a separate finger injury in Ulster’s European victory over Leicester last Saturday.