'All systems go' as Ireland depart for France

Skipper Johnny Sexton said it's "all systems go" as Ireland departed for the Rugby World Cup in France.

Andy Farrell’s side enter the tournament as the number one ranked team in the world, off the back of a Six Nations Grand Slam and a record 13-game winning run.

Ireland, in nine attempts, have never been beyond the quarter-finals.

Speaking as the team left Dublin airport, the out-half, who will appear at his fourth World Cup, was asked if this is was the best prepared Ireland team that he has been involved with.

"Well, time will tell," said the 38-year-old.

"The proof will be in how we perform and the results that we get. At the moment we feel in a good place but we’ve got to go and do it now.

"We are a very close group and we’ve built that over the last four years.

"Our initial thoughts, obviously, we are gutted for Cian [Healy, injured last weekend] but as far as I know Cian is doing really well and that’s made us feel a bit better.

"We’re all systems go and looking forward to a huge tournament ahead and take it game by game."

Sexton himself has been out of action since the win over England in March, firstly through injury and then serving a three-match suspension for his conduct following Leinster’s Champions Cup final defeat to La Rochelle, in which he did not play.

Ireland play Romania in Bordeaux on Saturday week.

He said: "It’s been a long time since I played a game so I’ll take it day by day, focus on my training for these few days and hopefully be involved in some capacity over the next week. I’m itching to get going."

As well as Romania, Ireland will take on Tonga, world champions South Africa and Scotland in Pool B.

The two top from that group will meet the top two from Pool A, with France and New Zealand heavy favourites