Eddie has a lot to ponder for Paris

WITH Gordon D’Arcy ruled out for the rest of the Six Nations campaign with a broken arm and his team seriously under-performing, Eddie O’Sullivan desperately needs some good news ahead of the visit to the Stade de France on Saturday.

The fact that Paul O’Connell trained with the squad last week suggested that the talismanic second-row forward was on the way back. But O’Sullivan admitted yesterday that it would be the Scotland match on February 23 at the earliest before he could be considered for a return to international action.

“I’m careful with Paul because he made good progress for a month in the lead-up to our first camp but he got up one morning and his back had gone backwards again, if you forgive the pun,” said the coach. “He had gone back a few weeks and was in big trouble. It’s one of those injuries that can be going great today and suddenly can act up again. It’s a disc problem.