Jonathan Sexton and Rob Kearney took a full part in training at Carton House on Tuesday morning and are available for selection for Ireland's Six Nations Championship match against France at the Aviva stadium on Saturday, according to forwards coach Richie Murphy.
Both players participated in the contact aspect of the session and came through without any issues.
Ulster wing Andrew Trimble and Munster scrum half Conor Murray also fully participated and they too will be available to Ireland coach Joe Schmidt when he announces the team on Thursday lunchtime.
Ireland assistant coach Richie Murphy explained: “Both guys (Sexton and Kearney) trained fully today and Rob Kearney trained yesterday. Johnny (Sexton) came in and out of yesterday’s session and no reaction from either of them.
“He (Sexton) took a full part today and with a little bit of contact in there as well. Both guys should be ready to go this week. Everyone else trained that was due to train. Conor Murray took full part today and yesterday after resting up late last week. Andrew Trimble has trained fully.”
Murphy contended that ring-rust would not be a factor for Sexton as his career history contains examples of his ability to get up to speed straight away during test matches following a period of inactivity.
“He’s (Sexton) a big member of the squad, a big presence in the room. His leadership is important to the team and the group itself so having him back in training is really good.”
“He has done this before, been out for long periods and come back in and been really good. So it’s not something that is new to him. We feel that he will be ready to go.”
Murphy said that the decision on who will start in the number 10 jersey will be based on how Sexton trained over the past two days, taking into account Paddy Jackson's performances during the opening two games in the Six Nations.
Murphy continued: “Paddy has been brilliant. We have been very lucky that while Johnny has been out Paddy has been stepping in and filling that gap really well, since probably last summer. He has really stepped up to the mark and he’s improving all the time.
“He is still only 24 and Johnny was only getting capped for the first time at the age that Paddy is at now so he has worked really hard with Johnny off the pitch in order to help him drive things. It is starting to come to a stage where there are other options there.”
So what’s the difference between them? “It’s probably the experience. Johnny has just been around a bit longer and has seen it all. How he interacts with the group can be slightly different because he is a more senior member than Paddy is but that gap is closing and the players that play with Paddy are very confident in his ability. They listen to him and he runs the team really well for us.”
Murphy paid tribute to Jackson’s goal-kicking, nine from nine against Italy and, 25 from his last 26 kicks in a green jersey. “He is in a good place. We won’t talk about the one from the touchline that went over like a wounded duck. That part of his game has really improved from getting that regular kicking up in Ulster, taking over the duty from Ruan (Pienaar).
“It has been a massive advantage for him in relation to preparing him for getting into test teams but also making sure he is comfortable in that environment.
“Johnny gets picked like everyone else. He has no divine right to get picked. Will he get picked? That is a decision that has to be made. I am not trying to create any confusion. All I am saying is that there will be a decision made on the back of how he has performed over the last two days.”
The fact that the French players haven’t had to squeeze in a Top 14 game in their down week for the first time will guarantee a fresher squad in Dublin at the weekend. Murphy admitted: “It probably evens up that playing field where in previous years they have been going back to play for their clubs. You can’t have the players that they have and not cause teams problems.
“You have seen that in both Six Nations game. They seem to be focusing hard on keeping the ball alive, keeping it up off the ground. If they are on the ground they will pop it off. If they are on their feet they will offload, which makes them a massive threat. If you look through their team there are very little weaknesses; they are big men as well. We will need to be at our best.”
