'Nobody is relieved': Ireland camp breaks silence on Sexton

REACTION: Ireland’s Jimmy O’Brien says distractions have been kept to a minimum during the disciplinary process involving captain Johnny Sexton.

Last weekend it was revealed that Sexton will miss Ireland’s three World Cup warm-up matches in August after receiving a ban for misconduct announced by European rugby chiefs.

Sexton faced a disciplinary hearing over “misconduct complaints” after exchanging words with referee Jaco Peyper following Leinster’s loss to La Rochelle in the Champions Cup Final in Dublin on May 20, a match the injured Sexton did not play in.

The good news for Ireland is that Sexton is available for the start of the World Cup and O’Brien believes his captain’s ban won’t have a big impact on their preparations for the event in France.

“Not much to be honest, it is what it is,” said O’Brien, when asked about the impact.

“We’ll just keep going and other lads will get a chance [to play in the warm-up games].

“He’ll be back for the World Cup, and it hasn’t really affected us much.”

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😳A lot of talk around Johnny Sexton’s ban this week.

🤔What do you think? Is a 3-week ban fair?#R365 #FanFrenzy pic.twitter.com/A1YVg6POyb

— rugby365.com (@rugby365com) July 20, 2023

When asked if the Ireland squad was relieved to have their leader available for the World Cup, O’Brien said: “I don’t know if it was a relief.

“I didn’t even know when it was announced. I came in and the lads said it.

“You’re kind of in a bubble and it keeps going.

“He got the ban and then it’s just like, ‘what’s the next thing? We’re going training’.

“Nobody is relieved, I don’t think it’s the right word. We just deal with it and move on.”

Meanwhile, Ireland centre Robbie Henshaw says rustiness will not be a problem for Sexton when the World Cup starts.

“I’d back him all day to be honest to step into a game,” Henshaw said.

“He’s been training the house down. I know it’s not full contact when we’re training but he hasn’t lost that sharpness, that vision or his kicking.

“He’s been exceptional in training, leading the group so I suppose the only thing for a player coming back from a long-term injury is the contacts, that full contact, so I suppose over the next few weeks he’ll get a taste for that, doing his extra bits, and get used to that.

“That’s the main thing when you’re coming back, that full-on, 100 percent contact.”