The 28-year old gave a superbly physical performance against Wales last Sunday but paid the price in being removed in the second-half after displaying concussive symptoms, although he has already passed the first of three phased Head Injury Assessments.

“He is in that process where he is sort of working through those protocols at the moment,” said assistant coach Richie Murphy. “He feels pretty good himself. It is a six-day turnaround so we will have to assess that later in the week and see where he is at.”

Leinster’s Fergus McFadden has been called up to the squad to cover for Earls this week while the three Ulster players released for action with their province last week – Paddy Jackson, Stuart McCloskey and Rob Herring – have returned fit and healthy.

It was, overall, an encouraging casualty update issued by the team on Tuesday afternoon.

Sean O’Brien trained fully having sat out the competition opener against Wales last weekend while Rob Kearney, another absentee, took a light part and is expected to train fully on Thursday. Tommy O’Donnell was fully involved after completing a Head Injury Assessment.

Andrew Trimble (shoulder), Simon Zebo (knee) and Jonathan Sexton (shoulder) all sat out the run-out but are expected to suit up for the next training session on Thursday. Sexton was actually back in camp on Tuesday evening after the birth of his baby daughter.

All are said to be in good shape for the Paris assignment with Schmidt likely to relax his oft-used rule whereby those players unavailable to train fully early in the week are not considered for that weekend’s Test match.

“It is a little bit different with a six-day turnaround,” said Murphy. “It was a pretty physical game at the weekend and another one coming up.

“There are a lot of times when players would sit out a Monday if we had played on the Saturday so we are squeezed for time. No player is going to be ruled out due to that rule this week. We will be picking what we feel is the best team to go to war with France later this week.”

Mike Ross and Cian Healy have not joined the squad despite speculation that they would. Both props are making progress in their respective rehabs from injuries and are expected to feature for Leinster either this week or next before being ushered back into the Ireland set-up.

It’s a big ask for those who are involved, six days on from a physical war of attrition against Wales, though the continuing absence of players including Peter O’Mahony, Iain Henderson and the fact a rest week follows may mitigate against more than the odd change in personnel.

“It is trying to get the balance right,” Murphy explained. “We made about 170 tackles at the weekend so that takes its toll and the six-day turnaround, especially when it is away and you have to travel…

“It is a balance between getting some freshness into the team and guys who are fit and ready to go again. I can’t imagine there will be wholesale changes, maybe a few things to freshen it up a little bit.”