Sexton ‘touch and go’ for Toulouse test

JONATHAN SEXTON’S hopes of being fit for Leinster’s Heineken Cup semi-final against Toulouse have been described as “touch and go” by coach Michael Cheika, who also faces the prospect of being without Rob Kearney in France.

Both players picked up injuries during Friday’s one-point quarter-final defeat of Clermont Auvergne at the RDS, as did Brian O’Driscoll, although the prognosis on the Irish captain was more positive yesterday.

The centre finished the game last weekend despite suffering a knee injury, as did Sexton who suffered a cracked jaw, while Kearney was stretched off having strained ankle ligaments in the second-half.

“Johnny had a little operation,” said Cheika. “We will just see how he pans out. It is fairly touch and go as to whether he plays in the semi or not. He is definitely out for the weekend (Magners League clash v Ospreys). Kearney is pretty much the same. He is not as bad as we first thought and will be touch and go.”

And the Ireland captain? “O’Driscoll is out of this week’s match as well. We are probably a little bit more hopeful on him now of getting himself right in the next couple of weeks.”

All three are omitted from the squad to play on Friday. So is Sean O’Brien whose recovery from a broken leg is taking longer than expected and he is unlikely to be available for the European semi-final.

Gordon D’Arcy, Shane Horgan and CJ van der Linde all sat out training yesterday but that was described as being precautionary and all are expected to make the final cut ahead of Friday’s action.

Sexton’s situation will occupy most minds in the weeks to come.

The Irish international has already missed a small chunk of the season, including the back-to-back European matches against the Scarlets in December, due to injury when Shaun Berne deputised to good effect.

“Obviously, we are lucky,” said Cheika. “We have got some good options to choose from. Shaun (Berne) has guided us through nearly half the Heineken Cup pool rounds this season and is a very experienced player. Fergus McFadden will come into the reckoning for a position and he has got a couple of opportunities over the next few weeks now to put his best foot forward.”

Leinster’s task will be, regardless of injuries, a formidable one against a Toulouse side that will be at home again after a comfortable 42-16 win over their great domestic rivals, Stade Francais, on Sunday.

“They have got amazing depth from the bench,’’ Cheika said. “Knowing the way of thinking down there a little bit, I don’t think they mind too much that it is us. I think they would prefer it to be us than, say, Munster. Maybe they think we are still a little bit tender. That might be the impression of Leinster in France. Everyone there seems to think that we were a bit lucky to win the other day and don’t see the work that went into the match either.”

Munster’s impressive win against Northampton will have done little to dissuade anyone in France that theyremain the top side in Ireland and Cheika was suitably impressed by Sunday’s events in Thomond Park.

“They were always going to win down there,” he claimed. “For me, they are kings at this time of the year and I just couldn’t see them losing two games in Thomond Park in a row.”