O’Gara cited as Leinster dismiss Sexton French links
With both Munster and Leinster both chasing best runners-up spots in the quarter-finals, the Irish interprovincial rivals need maximum points from their respective ties against Racing Metro and at Exeter Chiefs to keep their European campaigns afloat.
Munster may have to do so without O’Gara, who last night learned from Heineken Cup organisers ERC that he had been cited following last Sunday’s round 5 win at Edinburgh.
The Munster fly-half was the subject of a complaint from Citing Commissioner Alberto Recaldini of Italy, which alleges he kicked Edinburgh second row Sean Cox during the second half of the match at Murrayfield, breaching Law 10.4(c).
O’Gara will have to appear before independent Judicial Officer Jeff Blackett of England at a disciplinary hearing on Thursday. If found guilty he faces a minimum suspension of four weeks, which would not only rule him out of the Racing Metro game but leave him unavailable for Ireland’s first two Six Nations matches of the season, against Wales in Cardiff on February 2 and at home to England eight days later.
Given that O’Gara, 35, has not previously been cited in 15 years of professional rugby, the veteran Ireland star could, if found guilty, receive below the minimum tariff, although Munster will now have to prepare to face the Parisians this weekend without their first-choice out-half, with Ian Keatley primed to take over.
Sunday’s opponents must play a similar guessing, however, as Racing’s inside centre Fabrice Estebanez was also cited yesterday, alleged to have struck Saracens wing David Strettle with his arm, during the first half of the Pool 1 match at Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes last Saturday.
Estebanez will go before independent judicial officer Pat Barriscale of Ireland in Dublin on Thursday, and if found guilty of breaching Law 10.4(a) faces a minimum two-week ban.
No such problems for Leinster ahead of their trip to Exeter on Saturday but Joe Schmidt’s coaches and players were yesterday required to dismiss speculation linking Ireland’s first-choice No. 10 Sexton with a move to France this summer.
French newspaper Midi Olympique last week linked the 27-year-old with Racing Metro, Stade Francais, Toulon and Montpellier but Leinster staff insisted the rumours would not distract from this week’s task of securing a Heineken Cup quarter-final spot.
It has even been suggested that Sexton has met with Racing’s millionaire owner Jacky Lorenzetti.
It isn’t difficult to understand why he would be an attractive proposition. Sexton has won three Heineken Cups with Leinster and is odds-on favourite to wear the British and Irish Lions 10 jersey in Australia this summer.
His current deal with Leinster and the IRFU is due to expire just before he boards the plane for Down Under and it is hardly ideal that his immediate future should be still up for debate this late into the season and prior to the trip to Exeter Chiefs.
“I don’t really know because it just goes on with contract stuff anyway,” said Leinster assistant coach Jono Gibbes.
“There is never a great time to do it and there will always be some sort of speculation. It doesn’t really matter this week, to be honest. We have got a massive job on our hands.
“We are playing a really good, combative and well organised team and we need to be a bit more realistic and a bit more clinical in our preparation this week and understand what we are going up against. This other stuff is on the outside and what’s important is what our week’s preparation is about.”
Gibbes went on to discuss the affinity Sexton has with Leinster, how he is a local boy, who has come up through the ranks, while Sean O’Brien was dismissive when asked if he felt there was anything in the stories.
Meanwhile, Leinster’s injury news is good. O’Brien should return after being forced out last Saturday against Scarlets through illness, although he will join Fergus McFadden on light duties for the early part of the week.
McFadden, Sexton and Brian O’Driscoll all shipped heavy knocks last Saturday. O’Driscoll even went for a precautionary scan after rolling his ‘good’ ankle but all three are deemed fit and available. So too is Cian Healy who was withdrawn after 40 minutes against Scarlets while Kevin McLaughlin and Richardt Strauss are both putting their hands up after missing the 33-14 win at the RDS against the Welsh region.
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