Eager Josh Van der Flier ready to spring into action in Paris

Josh van der Flier sat through the frustration of missing the November internationals through injury but the experience has given even more hunger to make the most of his Six Nations opportunity against France in Paris today.

The 24-year-old Leinster flanker saw off his Leinster back-row team-mates Jordi Murphy and Dan Leavy to earn his place at openside in today’s championship opener at Stade de France as Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt seeks to fill the vacuum created by Sean O’Brien’s hip injury.

The chance comes having missed the Guinness Series Tests against South Africa, Fiji, and Argentina as he recovered from surgery for a high ankle sprain (syndesmosis). Not that van der Flier got the chance to ignore Ireland getting along without him, the involvement of housemate and Leinster wing Adam Byrne winning his first cap against the Pumas meant there was no escape.