Injury worries over O'Driscoll and O'Connell

Ireland duo Brian O’Driscoll and Paul O’Connell are undergoing examination after sustaining injuries in today’s 43-31 RBS 6 Nations Championship defeat by France.

Skipper O’Driscoll was helped from the pitch in the 83rd minute but second row O’Connell managed to last until the final whistle.

Both players missed the November series through injury and their involvement in the rest of the Six Nations has now been thrown into doubt.

Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan said: “Paul took a very heavy knock on the shoulder and is being assessed. We don’t know the exact level of damage but he is very sore.

“Brian is exhausted. His hamstring tightened so we had to take him off. It was only his second game of international rugby this season and he ran out of steam.”