Sexton scare
Ireland fly-half in fitness race for Wales clash
As if Warren Gatland was not already rubbing his hands at the prospect of his Wales team getting to face a weakened Ireland in Dublin, Jonny Sexton is the latest doubt for today’s Natwest Six Nations match due to a back problem.
After the injuries to British and Irish Lions Tadhg Furlong, Iain Henderson and Robbie Henshaw, Sexton sat out the first part of the captain’s run yesterday having treatment.
The Leinster fly-half, who saved Ireland, of course, with his monster dropped-goal in Paris in their opening Six Nations match, is generally integral to everything Joe Schmidt’s team do.
Rory Best, Ireland’s captain, made light of Sexton’s injury, describing him as “grand” and assuring fans the 32-year-old had taken part later on in the session. “Because he’s getting a bit older now he just needed a little bit longer to warm up,” Best said with a smile.
“But he came into the tail-end of the session. He let the subs run at the start and then the starters finished off. So yeah, he was fine. He finished the session.” No concerns? “No concerns.”
That will help calm the nerves of Irish fans who have watched on as first Henshaw, who injured himself in the process of scoring against Italy a fortnight ago, and then Henderson and Furlong; the former a powerful mobile lock, the latter arguably the world’s best tighthead; were ruled out.
Best’s optimistic assessment should, however, be set against the reputation Schmidt has earned for playing somewhat fast and loose when it comes to the accurate reporting of his players’ fitness.
In a game of inches, Ireland’s canny head coach would be loath to give anything away to Gatland at this stage so he is hardly going to let on if Sexton does have a more serious injury. The fact is, the latter part of the captain’s run is closed to media so no one is quite sure for how long Sexton played or how he looked on the field, irrespective of what Best said. One thing is certain: losing Sexton would be catastrophic. So often the match-winner for Ireland, his experience and ability to control a game, in tandem with half-back partner Conor Murray, are key to Schmidt’s vision.
Joey Carbery is an exciting prospect, with an excellent running game, but he has played much of his club rugby for Leinster at fullback and has just seven caps’ worth of international experience. Italy scored three second-half tries after the 22-year-old replaced Sexton 51 minutes into that game.
In all likelihood Sexton will be fine, but there is undoubtedly a growing sense of unease in Ireland as the game approaches, which may seem odd when you consider that Schmidt’s team are unbeaten in a dozen home games in the Six Nations dating back to a 12-6 defeat by England in February 2013.
The loss of those three aforementioned Lions, and the return of three Welsh ones in Dan Biggar, Leigh Halfpenny and Liam Williams, has chipped away at their confidence. There is also the fact that Gatland seems to relish these returns to Dublin. Matt Williams, the former Leinster coach, is just one pundit who now rates Wales as favourites. “I’m very concerned,” he told the Off The Ball podcast yesterday. “I think Ireland have to play at the extremity of their ability and have a bit of luck to win.”
Wales appear bullish too. “We are targeting a bonus-point win this weekend,” scrum half Gareth Davies said earlier this week, while Gatland, asked whether Ireland were the best team Wales would face, simply said: “No.”