Paul O'Connell injury: Joe Schmidt says 'it doesn't look good' for Ireland captain but Jonny Sexton in quarter-final hope

Joe Schmidt may not have “the learned eye of a medic”, as he acknowledged after watching his Ireland side record an outstanding victory over France to put themselves in the softer half of the World Cup knock-out draw, but the head coach knows enough to understand the injury fall-out from the game.

Paul O’Connell, Jonathan Sexton and Peter O’Mahony, three of the key figures in team, are fighting against the dying of the light as far as this tournament is concerned.

“It doesn’t look great for Paul,” the head coach admitted when asked about O’Connell’s damaged hamstring. “Johnny? He’s already talking about our quarter-final against Argentina, although I’m not sure that means he thinks he’ll be ready. As for Peter, he’s walking, at least. We think it’s a twisted knee – maybe an ankle – so we’ll have to wait until the doctors take a proper look.”

Jamie Heaslip, the No 8 who took over the captaincy when O’Connell was transported from the field on a mobile stretcher, described the physicality of the game as “right up there”.

He added: “I don’t think anyone on either side was under any illusion as to how tough it would be. There are a lot of sore bodies in the dressing room, a lot of people who are emotionally drained. But that’s what you have to give in a World Cup tournament, especially when it reaches this stage.”

Schmidt said he was “incredibly proud” of his players, who turned in their best performance for a very long time – better, certainly, than their tactically astute victory over England in March. He also argued that the flanker Sean O’Brien, who may well be cited for punching the French lock Pascal Papé at the start of the contest, would not deserve a lengthy ban.

“I hope that’s not the case,” he said. “I think he was being held at the time and swung out. I don’t think he was looking at the player or connected with a closed fist. It’s not for me to determine, but we can’t afford to lose anyone else.”

The France coach Philippe Saint-André, less than impressed by his side’s error count in attack and indiscipline on the back foot, was far from downcast, however, and it may have been his bullish demeanour that persuaded one broadcaster from New Zealand to wonder whether France had been bluffing all along and had always preferred the prospect of a quarter-final tie with the reigning champions, as opposed to one with Argentina.

“When I played for France, I faced New Zealand perhaps 11 or 12 times and never once were we favourites,” the coach said. “Yet we still managed to win sometimes. We must prepare ourselves for a huge fight this weekend: we must stick together, accept that we didn’t play well in this game and be ready for the next one. We are not out of the tournament yet.”