Ireland's quest for a third straight Six Nations title is still alive. Joe Schmidt's men might not have gotten a win at home to Wales today, but the 16-16 draw doesn't kill their title chances at all.
But if they want to secure a Six Nations hat-trick they'll have to win next week in Paris. Ireland are unbeaten in their last two visits to the Stade de France and they should be even more hopeful of overturning Guy Noves' side after seeing the state of the squad after this afternoon's game.
Johnny Sexton, Keith Earls and Tommy O'Donnell all left the field with injuries but Schmidt hopes that at least two of them will be fit for next weekend.
“Johnny is fine, just a bit bruised, Keith Earls may have suffered a concussion; we just have to follow that up," Schmidt said to RTÉ.
“Tommy O’Donnell had an injury assessment but passed it without any problems. But, at that stage, Rhys Ruddock had grown into the game and we left it at that. He’s played a bit for us in the past at number seven and did a good job."
It's obviously a great thing that O'Donnell and Sexton are ok - but there should be some concern about the number of head knocks that Earls has had in the last number of months. This is his third concussion since the World Cup warm-up games, as well as that frightening neck incident against Leinster in December. He must surely join the Luke Marshall and Johnny Sexton group of players that we worry when they get hit.
On a lighter note, the IRFU also tweeted this out regarding two players who missed the Wales game.
Joe Schmidt: Hopeful that @SeanOBrien1987 & @KearneyRob should be okay to train next week #shouldertoshoulder
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 5, 2016
After CJ Stander's brilliant debut today, the prospect of having the South African and O'Brien in the same back row is very exciting, especially given how well Jamie Heaslip played today too.
It will be good to have this brooding farmer back in the green jersey.
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Picture credit: Ramsey Cardy / SPORTSFILE
