O’Mahony is Ireland captaincy material, says Van Graan

One man’s setback appears to be an opportunity for a couple of his team-mates as Johnny Sexton’s likely absence from the start of the Six Nations seems to have opened the door for a pair of Munster stars to take centre-stage with Ireland in the coming weeks.

With the veteran fly-half limping out of Leinster’s Heineken Champions Cup rout of Northampton Saints in England at the weekend and into a potential eight-to-10-week lay-off, the chance to be incoming Ireland head coach Andy Farrell’s first number 10 of his tenure could well be within Joey Carbery’s grasp with the Munster playmaker expected to return from his ankle injury by the end of this month.