That ruled him out of the visit of Scotland to the Millennium Stadium but Warbuton did return to make it three wins from three against England at Twickenham.

However Warburton injured his knee in the clash and therefore played no part on Saturday as Wales moved one step closer to completing the Grand Slam against Italy.

But McBryde spoke positively about the Wales skipper being available for selection once again for the crucial encounter with France at the Millennium Stadium this week.

“Sam will be undergoing a rigorous fitness test, and we hope he comes through it and takes a full part in the remaining sessions this week,” said McBryde.

“We will then have a better understanding of where he is at. He has stood up well in every fitness test he has done.

“Things are looking favourable, but we know we have a good player in Justin Tipuric, who acquitted himself well at the weekend. It is not quite panic stations.

“You cannot take anything for granted when you play France. For us, how you finish a Championship is as important as how you start it.

“The expectation to deliver a strong performance will be high, and the players will be keen to give a good account of themselves.”