Why Johnny suffers from concussion
Ireland out-half’s style not going to change despite latest injury setback against Chiefs
IF NOTHING else, Christmas is a time for nostalgia and amid the reunions, familiar songs and old favourites on the television, the rugby season has thrown up an old reliable talking point ahead of the big day.
Johnny Sexton will hate the fact that people are talking about his head once again.
All the old issues will be dragged back up; his tackle technique, his aggression and the perception that he needs protecting will all be thrown into the mix because he failed a Head Injury Assessment during Leinster’s win over Exeter Chiefs last Saturday.
Although he has been anything but injury-free since his last head injury in January 2016 – his only one since being stood down from rugby for three months in 2014/’15 – the Ireland out-half has enjoyed a long, clear run without an issue.
His head has been clear, but his body has endured some treatment.
He came into last season recovering from the shoulder operation that ruled him out of the summer tour of South Africa, before needing a two-month break to deal with his troublesome hamstrings.
When he returned, he played his way into the Lions Test team only to break his wrist in the second Test and rupture an ankle tendon in the third. That he played against the world champion All Blacks with a fractured bone in his arm and a blown ankle is testament to Sexton’s bravery.
As well as being one of the most intelligent and exciting No 10s in world rugby, he is abrasive in defence and unafraid in attack. It’s a combination that makes him great, but it also makes injuries unavoidable.
Saturday’s blow was a case in point. It has led to talk about tackle technique, but the unique circumstances meant that he was pretty unlucky to be forced off.
ATTENTION
After one minute and 45 seconds of Saturday’s Champions Cup clash, Exeter were deep in Leinster’s 22 and Sexton was left one on one with flanker Matt Kvesic.
Sam Skinner had cleverly attracted the attention of Jack Conan and Devin Toner before pulling the ball to the 16st, 7lbs openside and Sexton knew he had to make a defensive play with little time to adjust. In that situation, the only consideration is stopping the man and there is little time to think technique – especially as you’re just feeling your way into the game.
As he rushed in, slightly crouched, Kvesic neatly sidestepped across his path, throwing Sexton further and as a result the out-half’s head glanced the flanker’s face as he ultimately missed the tackle.
As Rob Kearney made a stop on the line, Sexton was left unsteady and clutching his face.
He was replaced to conduct a Head Injury Assessment, failed it and the next time he was seen was in the Aviva Stadium dugout.
For all of the talk about tackle technique, there was little the 32-year-old could have done to have avoided the contact. Kvesic is the same height as him and was carrying with his head slightly dipped, meaning the approach he took was always going to be the most effective.
Already committed, there simply wasn’t the time to readjust and the tackle still had to be attempted – that’s a non-negotiable, regardless of your injury profile.
Sexton doesn’t shirk the physical stuff, that’s what makes him so respected by his peers.
As Schmidt said after his playmaker had been sin-binned for a ruck offence against Scotland in 2016, “We try to mind him a little bit, but there’s no minding that man.”
“The way Johnny marshals the team around him, the way he manages to get the best out of other players is admirable every time he puts the jersey on,” he added.
“I don’t know if you saw the hit he put in on Billy Vunipola that dislodged the ball, there was no hesitation in doing it from Johnny.
“When he demands physical effort from players, they are very willing workers for him because of what he puts on the line for them and for the team. So, I suppose, that along with the skill element that he brings to the game, the experience that he brings; they’re incredibly important for us.”
For the coach, this represents a conundrum.
Sexton is his most-prized asset and with Paddy Jackson out of the picture as he awaits trial, there is a large gulf between the No 1 out-half and the next men in line.
His minutes are managed and he
has been held back from Champions Cup action this season as both province and country attempt to ensure he is present at the business end of the season.
When he goes beyond the white lines, he is required to bring the highest levels of intensity and aggression to do what he does best.
A driver of standards, it is unlikely that Sexton has not considered changing his defensive approach before deciding to continue with the way he goes about his business.
While tackling around the ball
– de rigueur across the sport as teams try to prevent offloads and win turnovers – does lead to more clashes of heads, going low opens up the equally unappealing prospect of getting smashed by an opponent’s knee.
In an era where line-speed is king and collisions are increasingly brutal, injuries are part and parcel of the game.
As a defensive leader for Leinster and Ireland, Sexton will continue to lead the line on both sides of the ball – hitting hard and delaying his passes until the tackler is committed.
By walking that line, he knows that injuries will come. He works hard to make himself more robust and takes his injuries seriously, but there’s only so much he can do if he wants to continue playing well at the highest level.
Ultimately, what makes him great also makes him vulnerable. That’s Sexton. That’s the game. And unless the game changes, he’ll always be at risk of injury.