STU’LL BE MISSED SEANIE
SIMON ZEBO says that keeping Johnny Sexton fit is vital - and it would be “naive” to think opposing teams aren’t targeting him.
The Ireland out-half took a battering from Scotland’s back row and, after injuring his ankle early on, was forced to withdraw after 23 minutes following a failed head injury assessment.
Sexton is likely to be out for two to three weeks and Racing winger Zebo said: “Teams attack certain players. They say, ‘If we get at him today that’ll give us a big chance of winning’.
“You’d be naive to think teams don’t man-mark or go headhunting certain players.” STUART LANCASTER is backing Sean O’brien to make the most of his London calling.
The flanker, 32 on Thursday, is leaving Leinster for ambitious English Championship leaders London Irish at the end of the season.
O’brien agreed the lucrative three-year deal with Declan Kidney and Les Kiss’ side after no new IRFU central contract was forthcoming.
But for Leinster coach Lancaster, the feeling of loss is similar to that when Jamie Heaslip retired.
“When you lose a player of Sean’s quality, everyone’s disappointed,” he admitted. “In an ideal world you keep all your best players until the very end. It was almost out of Leinster’s hands as soon as that national contract wasn’t offered and Seanie got such a fantastic offer.
“He’s going to coaches he knows well. It’s a fantastic signing for London
Irish and a huge blow for us. It feels a bit like when Jamie finished.
“But the nature of the beast is that players come towards the end of their career and look at other opportunities.
“For Sean, with a three-year deal at the level reported and the opportunity to challenge himself and everything that comes with being a high profile player in London, it’s a great opportunity for him. It will be good for him to reinvent himself in a new environment where people don’t know him from the past or from reputation.
“It’s obviously a disappointing one for Leinster but Seanie knows it – we all know it here – that life goes on. There are really good Leinster back row players who will step into the void.”
O’brien, who has won two Heineken Cups and was European Player of the Year in 2011, will work again with former Ireland head coaches Kidney (inset) and Kiss.
The duo are spearheading a serious revival with the famous Exiles as they sit nine points clear at the top of the English second tier. But concerns that O’brien will find the week on week attritional nature of the Premiership too much are dismissed by Lancaster.
“He’s got the advantage that Declan probably knows him better than anyone so I’d be surprised if they play him in every Premiership and European game,” Lancaster added.
“I think they’ll use and manage him wisely but he’ll have the same impact. If they do, there’s no reason that he can’t continue to play for the next few years.
“I’ve coached many great players and he’s certainly held in the highest regard in my mind because of how he conducts himself. Even though injuries have been frustrating for him, he’s always in every meeting, always contributing, always adding value, showing leadership.”