Onward Ireland’s soldiers

IRELAND coach Eddie O’Sullivan is looking forward to a few days’ rest and recreation at home in Galway towards the end of the week. However, he’d better keep the tablets handy.

It emerged yesterday that Shane Horgan is a doubt for the French game on Saturday week with a sprained thumb, and even though Gordon D’Arcy took part in the “warm down” after Sunday’s game, there is still no guarantee that he will be able to resume against the French.

Ideally, he would like to turn out for Leinster in their Celtic League clash with the Neath-Swansea Ospreys next weekend as he hasn’t had a game since leaving the pitch after 25 minutes against Italy on February 6.