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Leinster issue update on Sexton and Furlong amid Six Nations doubts

By PA
Johnny Sexton, captain of Ireland? (C) shakes hands with the All Blacks after the match during the International Test match between the New Zealand All Blacks and Ireland at Forsyth Barr Stadium on July 09, 2022 in Dunedin, New Zealand. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

Leinster say that Ireland internationals Johnny Sexton and Tadhg Furlong are expected to be fit ahead of this season’s Guinness Six Nations Championship.

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Fly-half Sexton suffered a cheekbone injury in the United Rugby Championship game against Connacht on January 1, and underwent a procedure.

He missed the URC appointment with Ospreys in Swansea on Saturday, and will also sit out Leinster’s Heineken Champions Cup clash against Gloucester at Kingsholm next weekend.

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“He will be further assessed next week, but is expected to be back ahead of the Six Nations,” Leinster said.

Ireland, the world-ranked number one team, visit Wales for their Six Nations opener on February 4.

Andy Farrell’s side then have a potential title-defining appointment with France in Dublin seven days later.

Sexton, who has won 109 caps, missed two of Ireland’s three Autumn Nations Series Tests this season because of injury.

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Prop Furlong, meanwhile, had recovered from an ankle problem but suffered what Leinster described as “a minor setback” in training last week when he picked up an unrelated calf injury.

Furlong is out of the Gloucester encounter, but is expected to be available before the Six Nations.

Leinster conclude their Champions Cup pool programme by hosting Racing 92 on January 21, then face URC opponents Cardiff in Dublin seven days later.

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J
JW 42 minutes ago
Boks and Pumas lead southern charge, but the north are ahead of the game

I don't think that's the case at all, particularly lock is a very bad example to make the point with anyway.


For eg; LSL would likely be the only local player (lock) in the side. There would be no Frost, or Williams, so no 'development'. If aussie had different selection policies the locks would all be overseas players, Skelton, the Arnolds, players I've seen from youth leveling up in Japan and qualifying for them instead, and no doubt there is a plethora of others that hit some good form in England or France, and who if included in a Wallaby environment at the time, might continue have played to their peak instead of turning into 'just' journeymen. I don't follow aus rugby enough for examples of this context but I reckon it would crowd out a position like lock (but is a good positive for the idea of selecting from offshore in general). Essentially there would be a lot of good players that left aussie shores upon making a name for themselves that would continue to remain in the national side, all but removing the need to blood young and unready local talent.


It of course would not be the same for every position, perhaps blindside would be the only other position where the amount of quality that is offshore compared to home would lead to the exclusion of local talent, and it wouldn't exclude rotating in the types of young player like Frost and Williams, but would Bell have become an international success so young? Other positions would be more where the gain of say including an experienced 10 or outside back would be dividends. But then you've also got to factor in whether the players those veterans would be trying to impart there global experience on would still be playing in Australia? Would Jorgensen be enough of a talent for a big French club to snap up? Or hungry for props like Bell and Tupou? Would they see how Ireland made use of Hansen and gun for Wright or one of the other very good Brumbie outsides? What's the point of having an experienced pro like Hodge in the squad when Wrights already overseas now in this new 'world' learning what there is of the French style himself?


The thing is your 'small' talent pool, suddenly becomes very 'large' selecting from offshore. The disconnect is it taking upto 3 times as long for people to flying back home, than say from Japan (or from EU to SA), along with the typical style mismatch's, not so much an ego thing. But with a lack of a DNA like SA, it might mean a lot more 'battles' between the respective styles and practices players are bringing back to camp. Can be only a positive in the right environment.


I think what they have now is the best of both worlds. There might be like 4 or 5 players they bring back, no disruption, no battle of the best way to play. You may have an important front rower like BPA, a world class player like Skelton, any number of veteran 10's, and a backline rock like Kerevi (not saying all these players would have been fit and ready to play international rugby, just imagine them at their peak for arguments sake). And that's what they have. It's what they'll likely go back to doing (if they get lucky with those generational players) for the next WC, even from now for the Lions. So I just don't think the 'picture' yuo outlined would be like reality, that's not to say I don't think there wouldn't be enough positives elsewhere to outweigh the negatives. Certainly going to another franchise for just 2 or 3 years before coming back would be a good development, but that idea is based on money that is not in the game at the moment.

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