Sexton raring to play but warns France 'are never beaten, it’s a tough place to go'

“We’ve only had one chance to see France under their new management, but some of the new individuals they’ve thrown in have impressed.“

Joe Schmidt has admitted his latest ever Ireland team selection has proved “unsettling and frustrating” after Simon Zebo failed a last-ditch fitness test ahead of Saturday’s match against France.

Fergus McFadden has been drafted onto Ireland’s bench for the RBS 6 Nations encounter in Paris, with Zebo unable to shake off knee trouble and Keith Earls still recovering from suspected concussion.