Lingering concern over Johnny Sexton’s wellbeing was the primary theme when Joe Schmidt revealed the Ireland side to face France.
Of course none of us will really know how Ireland’s prized possession truly is until that first collision with a French man at the Aviva Stadium this Saturday.
“He’s as much of a risk to start as anyone else,” said the Ireland coach. “He is very fit, he has done a lot of training with us, 12 weeks training, he just hasn’t done any contact. He’s done plenty of contact this week.
“I think he is feeling really fresh and ready to go. Sometimes the reverse can happen; you do a lot of contact and you are a little bit beaten up.”
This is true. But noises from the French camp in Marcoussis leave no doubt that Mathieu Bastareaud will be torpedoed towards the Racing Metro 92 outhalf at the first available opportunity in Dublin.
So about 5.01pm.
It was, you may remember, the 120 kilogram (19 stone) centre who knocked Sexton out cold last March. Granted, he went high on the Toulon behemoth (it’s also worth noting that Bastareaud ignored the next play to put Sexton in the recovery position).
“Look, their tactics will be whatever they look to do and we will look to counter them,” was Schmidt’s response to such scaremongering. “We are prepared for the various tactics that they may employ.”
“I have no doubt they’ll use that narrow channel sometimes but they won’t want to waste the likes of (Yoann) Huget, (Teddy) Thomas and Scott Spedding in those wide channels and the speed and footwork of Wesley Fofana, I don’t think they want to neglect those options.
“I think they will mix their tactics up a little bit.”
They surely will. Once they have rattled this perceived Irish weakness. Safety in numbers seems paramount.
“Obviously a very strong, direct threat for us is Bastareaud,” Schmidt continued. “I know that last time we played it took two or three guys to bring him down. I’m not sure how else you do it; one to slow him down a bit, one to grab him low, one to grab him high and you hope to drag him down. He’s a very, very powerful player.”
Peter O’Mahony, having suffered horrendous punishment at the hands of Clermont Auvergne forwards when the French club sacked Limerick last December, will be mining a healthy level of fear to prepare himself for Saturday’s battle.
“I think there is always a fear factor with France,” said the Munster captain. “They are always unpredictable. I don’t think they quite showed their hand last week. I think they are a more dangerous side.
“You knock them back two or three phases in defence and they go down the short side, the third of fourth phase in they are a dangerous side.
“The fear is always there with France. We need to improve on our showing last week certainly. We were off the pace physically at times, ball carrying is still to come up a level.”
Seán O’Brien and eventually Cian Healy should see to that.
