Ireland captain Johnny Sexton ‘ahead of schedule’ in recovery from knee injury

The fly-half has not played since suffering a knee problem in early December.

Ireland captain Johnny Sexton gave his team a boost on Wednesday ahead of the Guinness Six Nations opener against Scotland in nine days by declaring himself ready to train fully.

Andy Farrell’s 35-man squad will on Thursday begin a training camp on Portugal’s Algarve coast as they ramp up preparations for their championship round one game at home to the Scots a week on Saturday and veteran fly-half Sexton will take a full part in the opening session at the Campus in Quinta do Lago, having recovered from the knee injury he sustained in Leinster’s Champions Cup trip to Northampton Saints on December 7.