Kidney’s hand forced by injury

A THIGH injury picked up in training on Monday ruled Jonathan Sexton out of Saturday’s RBS Six Nations opener against Italy at Croke Park, so Declan Kidney’s number 10 jersey preference for the challenges ahead in the championship is still unclear.

Sexton filled the position in the two most recent games against Fiji and South Africa last November, but gives way to Ronan O’Gara, who wins his 94th cap against the Italians and has a huge opportunity to capitalise on his rival’s misfortune.

It remains unclear as to which of the talented pair Kidney would have opted for had both been available and he certainly wasn’t going to show his hand when the subject was raised at yesterday’s team announcement.