Ireland coach Declan Kidney expects to have out-half Jonathan Sexton available for the big Aviva Stadium test against Argentina on Saturday.

Sexton was a last minute withdrawal from the replacements bench before last Saturday’s 53-0 win over Fiji.

The Leinster star strained his groin in the warm-up at Thomond Park and was immediately withdrawn from the match day squad as a precaution.

Kidney said: “During the warm-up he got a bit of a tight-groin so we felt it was prudent to pull him out.

“We’d usually travel with extra men with us and Keith Earls was there. And while it might have been a small bit of a gamble, we took Jonny off the subs bench just in case.

It would have been sods law if I’d let him push it - Paddy Jackson would have been off after five minutes and then Johnny would have been off after ten.”

Flanker John Muldoon is unlikely to feature against Argentina after damaging his knee in the Fiji game.

Kidney added: “John has some ligament damage in his knee. The exact extent we’ll know after he’s had a scan and we’ve a better assessment. He has a bit of a wobble in it alright. “