As if playing France in Paris wasn’t bad enough, Ireland may line-up tonight without Jonny Sexton in the side.
The Leinster out-half tweaked a thigh muscle during kicking practice yesterday and we are being told he is being “closely monitored” by the medical staff in the French capital.
If Sexton doesn’t make it then Ronan O’Gara will step in but we were rather scared to be reminded today that the Munster man is also carrying a knock and it is believed he hasn’t trained fully all week.
That means the news that Paddy Wallace was flown in last night now makes much more sense but we have to hope that it is just precautionary and that one or both of Declan Kidney’s favoured number 10s will be ready to run out at Stade de France at 8.00.
Of course, there is still a question mark over whether the game will be played at all. RTE’s Michael Corcoran confirmed this morning that there was no snow in Paris overnight but the temperatures are still very low and they are expected to be around -7C by the time the game kicks off at 9pm local time tonight.
The pitch will be inspected again at 6.15pm Irish time and we will then know for sure but the local officials and the Six Nations authorities are confident the game will go ahead as planned.
Fingers crossed but if Sexton and O’Gara are both below their best, is it wrong we are hoping the game might be delayed by a few weeks?
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