Ireland rocked by late injury blow ahead of Six Nations title decider against France

James Lowe was ruled out in the minutes before kick off in Dublin

James Lowe (left) picked up a late injury (Niall Carson/PA Wire)

Ireland were rocked by a crucial late injury blow just minutes before kick off in their Six Nations title decider against France.

The grand-slam chasing hosts lost James Lowe in the warm-up, with the wing’s back spasming as he took contact during a drill.

Lowe limped down the tunnel with a medic and did not re-emerge, forcing Simon Easterby into the latest of alterations in his back three.

Munster’s Calvin Nash was called in on the wing having narrowly missed out on selection in the initial matchday 23, with the versatile Jamie Osborne instead deployed opposite Lowe.

It leaves Easterby without his first-choice wing pair, with Mack Hansen also absent due to a quad injury. Nash had started in his stead against Scotland earlier in the tournament with the Connacht man dealing with a hamstring issue.

Ireland are hoping to become the first team to win three successive Six Nations titles, and will be on the verge of a grand slam if they beat France with Italy to come on Super Saturday next weekend.

A French win, however, would put them in the box-seat for the championship, with thrashings of Wales and the Azzurri making their points difference particularly strong.