Racing recall Sexton for duty

Ireland star Johnny Sexton could be forced into an unscheduled French Top 14 start this weekend after Racing Metro were plunged into a fresh fly-half injury crisis.

With Joe Schmidt’s frontline players in the provinces set for a weekend off, the national head coach was hoping his Paris-based playmaker would escape duty for Racing this weekend against Bayonne but as their coach and Irish Examiner columnist Ronan O’Gara reveals today, an illness for Argentinian out-half Juan Martin Hernandez has required a rethink at the club.

Hernandez reported sick yesterday and Jonathan Wisniewski is already sidelined so Racing are left with just Sexton and Benjamin Dambielle as their fly-half options.