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'It stunk on so many grounds': Farrell bites back over French attack on Sexton
Ireland coach Andy Farrell has hit out at the damaging midweek comments by two French neurologists about Ireland captain Johnny Sexton and his situation with concussion. Sexton took an accidental bang to head from Justin Tipuric during Ireland’s Guinness Six Nations defeat to Wales last Sunday and he has been ruled out of this Sunday’s round two game in Dublin versus France.
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Sexton failed to meet the necessary markers on Thursday regarding the concussion return to play protocols and his place in the Ireland team has now gone to Billy Burns, the replacement whose experience off the bench in Cardiff ended with his missed touch-finder from a penalty to touch which sealed the win for Wales.
Before Sexton was ruled out by Irish medics for the French clash, his health was subject to negative comments in France from two neurologists. Dr Jean-Francois Chermann, who recommended Sexton be stood down from rugby for twelve weeks when he was a Racing 92 player in 2014 due to repeated brain injuries, said in an interview with French radio station RMC Sport on Tuesday that the 35-year-old had sustained “30 concussions” throughout his career but he subsequently retracted that comment and apologised.
“As regards Sexton, we cannot say for certain that he has had 30 concussions,” Chermann told RMC Sport on Wednesday in a follow-up interview. “I should never have cited this figure without any explanation and I regret the wrong I have done to the player who was my patient and who I respect more than anyone.”
Jean Chazal, another French neurosurgeon and concussion specialist, had agreed with Dr Chermann’s initial comments, leaving an infuriated Sexton to bite back when he appeared at a media conference in Ireland on Wednesday.
“I'm pretty saddened and shocked by the inaccurate reports"#SixNations #IREvFRAhttps://t.co/lVJUIJ5TA4
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 10, 2021
“I thought there was a patient and doctor confidentiality, I’m pretty sure that exists in the world,” said Sexton. “I just can’t get over the fact someone thought it was appropriate to just come out of nowhere and start saying things that weren’t even accurate, that is the most hurtful thing.”
Now Sexton’s coach Farrell has joined the chorus of criticism regarding what was said in France about his captain. “Honestly, I thought it stinked, I thought it stunk on so many grounds. I suppose I will leave it at that,” he said on Friday after he announced an Ireland XV showing four changes from last Sunday in Wales and four more alterations on the bench.
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Sexton wasn’t alone in not meeting his concussion return to play markers as James Ryan was also ruled out for the same reason. Conor Murray, meanwhile, tweaked a hamstring at Thursday training while Peter O’Mahony was suspended on Wednesday for three games following his red card against the Welsh.
“Johnny yesterday [Thursday] didn’t come through the HIA protocols. James earlier in the week and we just found out about Conor. Found out 15 minutes ago actually. He went for a scan on a slight hamstring trouble he picked up yesterday in training.
“They’re fine, they’re in good spirits,” added Farrell specifically about Sexton and Ryan. “They are in and around the group and they have been very helpful this week so health-wise they are absolutely fine.”
With regular skipper Sexton out along with Ryan, who skippered the team in the November defeat to England, Iain Henderson, a sub in Cardiff, will now take over the captaincy for the first time. “He brings authority, he also brings a calmness,” assured Farrell, who has also included Rhys Ruddock, the Ireland captain versus Russia in his last start in October 2019, at blindside in place of the banned O’Mahony.
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“That was one of the really pleasing aspects of the game at the weekend against Wales regarding going down 14 men. There was a calmness throughout the leadership group, throughout the team, and Iain was right, front and centre of all that. He will be exactly the same, he will see it as a challenge he will get excited about and I’m sure he will lead the boys very well.”
There's a brand new Ireland captain and one uncapped player as well chosen on the bench #SixNations #IREvFRAhttps://t.co/23EGOfz1Ze
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 12, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Billy's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
3 Go to commentsIt’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
2 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
28 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to commentsSouth Africa rarely play Ireland and France on these tours. Mostly, England, Scotland and Wales. I wonder why
1 Go to commentsIt was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to commentsHats off to Fabian for a very impressive journey to date. Is it as ‘uniquely unlikely’ as Rugby Pass suggests, given Anton Segner’s journey at the Blues?
1 Go to commentsSad that this was not confirmed. When administrators talk about expanding the game they evidently don’t include pathways to the top tier of rugby for teams outside of the old boys club. Rugby deserves better, and certainly Georgia does.
2 Go to commentsLions might take him on if they move on Van Rooyen but I doubt he will want to go back, might consider it a step backwards for himself. Sharks would take him on but if Plumtree goes on to win the challenge cup they will keep him on. Also sharks showing some promising signs recently. Stormers and Bulls are stable and Springboks are already filled up. Quality coach though, interesting to see where he ends up
1 Go to commentsAnd the person responsible for creating a culture of accountability is?
3 Go to commentsMore useless words from Ben Smith -Please get another team to write about. SA really dont need your input, it suck anyway.
264 Go to commentsThis disgraceful episode must result in management and coach team sackings. A new manager with worse results than previous and the coaching staff need to coached. Awful massacre led by donkeys.
1 Go to commentsInteresting article with one glaring mistake. This sentence: “And between the top four nations right now, Ireland, France, South Africa, and New Zealand…” should read: And between the top four nations right now, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and France…”. Get it right wistful thinkers, its not that hard.
24 Go to commentsHow did Penny get the gig anyway?
3 Go to commentsNice write up Nick and I would have agreed a week ago. However as you would know Cale & co got absolutely monstered by the Blues back row of Sotutu, Ioane and Papaliti and not all of these 3 are guaranteed a start in the Black jumper. He may need to put some kgs before stepping up, Spring tour? After the week end Joe will be a bit more restless. Will need to pick a mobile tough pack for Wales and hope England does the right thing and bashes the ABs. I like your last paragraph but I would bring Swinton, Hannigan into the 6 role and Bobby V to 8
28 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can still get in to the Play Off’s. The imminent return of outstanding captain Scott Barrett and his All Black team mate Codie Taylor will be a big boost.There are others like Tamaiti Williams too. Two home games coming up. Fellow Crusader fans get there and support these guys. I will be.
2 Go to commentsCant get more Wellington than Proctor.
3 Go to commentsWhy not let the media decide. Like how they choose the head coach. Like most of us we entrust the rugby system to choose. A rugby team includes the coaches. It's collective.
14 Go to commentsHi NIck, I have been very impressed with him and he seems a smart player who can see opportunities which Bobby V _(who must be an international 6_) doesn’t see or have the speed to take advantage of. If he continues to improve and puts on 5kgs then he could be a great 8. He is a bit taller than Keiran Reid at 1.93m and 111 kgs, so his skill set fits his body size and who knows where it will lead. I hope the spate of Achilles tendon issues have been dealt with by the S&C people. It’s been a very long time since Mark Loane and Kefu stood out at 8. The question is will we be able to hold onto him, if he does make it he will be pretty hot property. I disagree with the idea of letting them go to the Northern Hemisphere and then bring them back.
28 Go to commentsBilly Fulton 🤣🤣🤣🤣 garrrmon not even close
14 Go to comments