Andy Farrell: Johnny Sexton absence may provide ‘great development’ for Ireland

Andy Farrell says the loss of influential skipper Johnny Sexton for Saturday’s crunch Guinness Six Nations clash with France could provide “great development” for Ireland going forward.

Veteran fly-half Sexton has been a key figure for his country for more than a decade and will be a major miss in Paris due to a hamstring strain suffered in training.

Munster’s Joey Carbery will deputise in the number 10 jersey to make his maiden start in the championship, with Connacht player Jack Carty providing back up from the bench and James Ryan taking on the captaincy.

While head coach Farrell admits 36-year-old Sexton remains vital to his plans, he insists the in-form Irish are far from being a one-man team.

“We’re not just one player, it never has been, it never will be, and we want to grow as a group and we make sure we approach every game in that manner anyway,” said Farrell.

“Obviously Johnny is an important member of our group.

“Being skipper of the side, he’s integral to how we push forward with many parts of our environment but at the same time this is just about the group.

“It’s a great development for us as a team going forward as well and we still expect ourselves to be at our best in Paris on Saturday.

It's an opportunity for us to grow as a group and that's exciting within itself.- Andy Farrell on the loss of Johnny Sexton

“We’re gutted for Johnny. It means so much to him to captain his side and to play in games like this.

“At the same time, he realises it’s an opportunity for us to grow as a group and that’s exciting within itself.”

Sexton has previously outlined plans to play at next year’s World Cup by which time he will be 38 and there is ongoing debate about whether Ireland are over-reliant on him.

His injury is