Sexton on mend but Trimble a worry for Ireland

THERE was mixed news from the Irish camp yesterday with Jonathan Sexton expected to be fit but Andrew Trimble is a major concern ahead of Saturday’s game against France in Paris.

The Ulster back was replaced after 56 minutes against Italy in Croke Park last Saturday after straining a hamstring and team manager Paul McNaughton admitted yesterday that the complaint was “a bit of a worry”.

Munster’s Keith Earls would appear to be first in line to replace Trimble, should he be ruled out of the Stade de France fixture, having replaced him three days ago in the tournament opener.

Other injuries for the champions include Ronan O’Gara (knee), Tomás O’Leary (dead leg) and Paul O’Connell (eye), although all took part in yesterday’s training session.

So too did Sexton who sat out last weekend’s 29-11 win with a leg complaint and McNaughton was quick to add that no-one has yet been ruled out of selection for the weekend to come.

That includes Donncha O’Callaghan and Stephen Ferris, both of whom missed the game against the Azzurri and “are more of a concern” and Kidney may again leave it until later in the week before making a decision on those two, key forwards.

The Irish coach is, nevertheless, due to name a first 15 today at lunchtime and he could certainly do with a clean bill of health for a trip to a city where Ireland have won just once in the last 38 years.

“It’s a very difficult place to go and play,” said David Wallace, Ireland’s man-of-the-match against the Italians.

“We’ve got to take confidence from the way the provinces have gone there and won in France.”

Ireland’s last two Six Nations games at the Stade de France have been memorable affairs with the home team galloping into an enormous lead on both occasions before battling , but ultimately fruitless, Irish comebacks.

France built up a 43-3 lead at the venue in the 2006 competition before Ireland scored an unanswered 28 points while a 23-3 deficit was transformed into a 26-21 defeat two years later.

Wallace scored Ireland’s second try that latter day and it is one he remembers well.

“If we had five more minutes, we felt we could have taken it. We had a disaster of a first-half where they got tries from bounces of the ball and stuff like that.

“You can’t let them get up a head of steam in any part of the game.”

France kicked off their Six Nations with a comfortable 18-9 win over Scotland in Edinburgh on Sunday and, as Wallace pointed out, they probably should have won by more given the opportunities they created.

Eighteen-stone centre Mathieu Bastareaud dominated the headlines with two tries on his return to international rugby after a well-publicised three-month suspension and Wallace accepts that Ireland will have to be in lockdown mode early on next Saturday but the Munster flanker believes some traditional Irish virtues will go a long way out in the suburb of Saint-Denis.

“Fighting spirit, it’s not fighting per se, but fighting to the end.

“Players growing up would have watched Irish teams in the past who always had that, and it’s something you want to emulate.It’s part of our game.

“Gert Smal referred to it, that spirit we had when we played South Africa. It’s good to have that perspective on it, and good to know we have it in our armoury.”