Sexton on track for French return

The sight of Jonathan Sexton and Joey Carbery watching from the sidelines while their Ireland colleagues went full throttle with the U20s in Belfast yesterday prompted mixed emotions.

Reports earlier this week had claimed that Carbery’s hamstring injury could threaten his participation in the rest of the Six Nations, and maybe beyond in terms of his province, so his presence in a wardrobe of boots, shorts and training top was a welcome one.