Leinster give update on injured Sexton
INJURY UPDATE: Leinster head coach Leo Cullen managed to ease Ireland’s supporters worry with some good news regarding their star flyhalf Johnny Sexton.
Since Sexton was injured during his province’s comprehensive round three win over the Saints at Franklin’s Gardens last Saturday, there has been much media speculation surrounding the well-being of the talisman playmaker’s knee.
Some media had him ruled out of the early part of the 2020 Six Nations under incoming Ireland boss Andy Farrell while others speculated he would be back fit in time for his country’s campaign which opens on February 1 versus Scotland if not even before then in the Champions Cup with Leinster.
It has now emerged that those predicting he would be raring to go for the start of the Farrell era might have had the better hunch, judging by what Leinster boss Leo Cullen had to say at a media conference ahead of Saturday’s European game which is set to attract a crowd in excess of 40,000 to Aviva Stadium.
“Saints have multiple threats. It’s going to be a good challenge for our guys.” 💪
Leo Cullen on Northampton threats and what the team will need to do to come out on top at @AVIVAStadium tomorrow. 👇#LEIvNOR #JoinTheRoar pic.twitter.com/pWSy54O4mu
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) December 13, 2019
“He is seeing somebody in the UK and he will go back there just to get an update in a couple of weeks,” explained Cullen about what has been going on this week with his veteran out-half after he seemed to hurt some knee ligaments at Northampton.
“But he is working hard to try and get himself back as quickly as possible. He won’t be a million miles away hopefully. He is making good progress.
“You could see he twisted his knee and, like I said, he is seeing a specialist. He is under control and on the mend now.”
*READ: European Cup Preview, Round four
The million-dollar question, though, was when precisely fans might see Sexton back on the field of play in 2020 – with Leinster in Europe, with Ireland at the start of the Six Nations or deeper into that campaign under Farrell?
Cullen leaned towards the second option. “You would love if he was back (for Leinster), but it’s probably more realistic for Ireland, I think, yeah.”
With Sexton currently laid-up, the Leinster captaincy for their rematch with the Saints has passed onto Scott Fardy, the Australian who will lead an XV that is also minus Ronan Kelleher, the impressive young hooker who has suffered a hand injury.
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