Sexton ‘back for Italy game’

– Ireland coach Joe Schmidt is confident playmaker Johnny Sexton will return for the reigning Six Nations champions to kick on with the defence of their title against Italy in Rome on February 24.

World Player of the Year Sexton lasted only 24 minutes, after suffering a stamp on the ankle and a head injury, as Ireland bounced back from their opening weekend home loss to England with a 22-13 victory against Scotland at Murrayfield.

The 33-year-old Leinster flyhalf, who had been out of domestic action with a knee tendon injury before the England game, suffered a succession of knocks as he tried to orchestrate the opening stages of a bruising contest and ultimately failed a head injury assessment test.

“Johnny hit the ground quite hard in the lead up to our second try and he failed an HIA,” said Schmidt.

“But he’s pretty good now. We’re confident that he will bounce back quickly.

“He also copped a stamp on the ankle. I don’t even think it was a Scottish foot – I think it was one of our guys who tripped over him.

“It was a little bit cumulative really. We’re always going to err on the side of caution.” –

Edinburgh