Brian O’Driscoll admits it would help Ireland’s World Cup hopes if the union was able to buy Johnny Sexton out of his Racing Metro contract this summer.

Sexton’s move from Leinster to France last summer leaves the IRFU unable to control when he plays and when he rests. The 28-year-old suffered for overwork during Ireland’s autumn test schedule, picking up a hamstring strain after 13 club games in just 10 weeks.

Now his latest injury, a sprained thumb, underlines head coach Joe Schmidt’s complaint that Ireland had “lost control of the player”.

Sexton is contracted at Racing until summer 2015, but there have been suggestions the IRFU will seek to buy him out of the second year of his French contract to bring him back to Leinster.

He could see out his Racing deal and still return to Ireland in time for the World Cup, but he has struggled to settle in France and the Paris club have also endured a mixed campaign.

O’Driscoll refused to comment on behind-the-scenes dealings, but admitted Sexton’s return would be a boost to boss Schmidt’s preparations for the World Cup in England next year.

“I don’t want to talk out of turn where Johnny is contracted to Racing, and I think it would be disrespectful to them to say we were looking at taking him away from them,” he said.

“I think everyone is in agreement that we didn’t want to see him go, and if a situation arose where he did come back, and some agreement was made, I don’t see that possibly being a negative.

“I know that he’d be welcomed back into the fold from a provincial point of view.

“And I’m sure the national management would like to be able to control his game-time a little bit more than they currently can.

“I suppose it’s one just to wait out and we’ll see what happens.”