Sawt Falasteen - France flanker Cros' training injury 'nothing major' before Ireland game

Toulouse's Cros, 27, seemed to hurt his neck during an eve-of-match session at the Stade de France earlier in the day, before Saturday's fixture.

"The team's freshness is optimal," Ibanez told reporters.

"It was in a collision with Demba Bamba as things rose in intensity during the captain's run.

"There's nothing major about Francois. He was able to continue the training as anticipated," he added.

Saturday's visitors to the French capital will be without 36-year-old captain Johnny Sexton due to a hamstring injury.

Joey Carbery will make his first Six Nations start as he deputises for 2018's world player of the year.

"We feel the Ireland coaching staff are protecting who will succeed Sexton, Carbery," Ibanez said.

"He needs to be at the level so to take pressure off him they explained that nothing will change.

"The experience of Johnny Sexton would have counted in this match," he added.

Directly facing Carbery in Paris will be Les Bleus playmaker Romain Ntamack and scrum-half Antoine Dupont.

They failed to sparkle in last weekend's laboured win over Italy after starring so far on the Test scene.

"We expect that they're at their level since they started their international careers," Ibanez said.

"They are the team's leaders.

"The forwards will have an incredible match to play who will have to show their mettle at every minute and moment and it's obvious that after that Antoine and Romain's quality will be able to come to the forefront," he added.

E.Aziz--SF-PST