Ireland’s injury concerns eased considerably this afternoon with everyone bar Andrew Trimble (hamstring) and Stephen Ferris (leg) taking a full part in training at the RDS. The pair completed a “light workout” and both could yet be in contention for a place in the team to face France in Paris on Saturday.
Declan Kidney is due to name his starting XV tomorrow afternoon. The coach’s options have been enhanced by Jonathan Sexton’s return to preparations after a dead leg ruled him out of the 29-11 win over Italy on Saturday.
His fellow outhalf Ronan O’Gara, who scored 16 points against the Azzurri, also trained, having been taken off as a “precaution” after sustaining a knee injury at Croke Park.
Locks Paul O’Connell (eye) and Donncha O’Callaghan came through the session, strengthening the prospect of having the latter back in harness for the trip to France after he missed the Italy game with a leg injury.
Unlike Kidney, who brought 11 players back into the training squad for this week’s work, France coach Marc Lievremont has named an unchanged 23-man squad.
Les Bleus started their campaign with an 18-9 victory over Scotland at Murrayfield yesterday and Lievremont has kept faith with his charges from the Edinburgh trip.
“The group of 23 players will be retained despite the uncertainties,” he said. “It’s been a while since there was continuity in the France team, given injuries and dips in form.”
Clermont Auvergne wing Aurelien Rougerie, Bayonne wing Benjamin Fall and Castres prop Luc Ducalcon are having various injuries assessed in Paris today.
“We will know more tonight,” Lievremont added.
The starting XV for this weekend’s clash at the Stade de France will be announced on Wednesday morning in Marcoussis.
Centre Mathieu Bastareaud completed a fairytale comeback against Scotland yesterday by scoring his first two international tries in his first Test start since falsely claiming he had been assaulted during his country’s tour of New Zealand last summer.
Morgan Parra kicked France’s other points as try-saving tackles from Thom Evans and Sean Lamont prevented them adding to their tally, while Chris Paterson landed three penalties for the toothless hosts.
France squad
Forwards
: T Domingo (Clermont Auvergne), L Ducalcon (Castres), S Marconnet (Stade Francais), N Mas (Perpignan), W Servat (Toulouse), D Szarzewski (Stade Francais), P Pape (Stade Francais), L Nallet (Racing-Metro), J Pierre (Clermont Auvergne), J Bonnaire (Clermont Auvergne), T Dusautoir (Toulouse), I Harinordoquy (Biarritz), F Ouedraogo (Montpellier).
Backs
: M Parra (Clermont Auvergne), F Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), F Michalak (Toulouse), M Bastareaud (Stade Francais), Y Jauzion (Toulouse), D Marty (Perpignan), V Clerc (Toulouse), A Rougerie (Clermont Auvergne), B Fall (Bayonne), C Poitrenaud (Toulouse).