Extent of Sexton’s role against Italy dependent on Racing

The extent of Jonathan Sexton’s role against Italy on Saturday week will be decided not so much by Joe Schmidt and his brains trust but by the Kiwi’s counterparts at Racing Metro who face French champions Castres this weekend.

Sexton returned to Paris yesterday with his thumb in a splint after the loss to England in Twickenham — despite the IRFU’s assurances on Monday he was fully fit —and to the prospect of yet another week on the go. The Ireland out-half has now featured against Scotland, Wales, Bayonne and England on successive weekends and, with Castres, Italy and France all to come in the next three weeks, burnout is an obvious concern.

Ronan O’Gara claimed earlier this month that it would be impossible for any player to undertake such a schedule without a break and the injury has only compounded the need for the player to be given a time out.

By whom remains to be seen.

Racing are struggling for tens right now. With Juan-Martin Hernandezinjured, Benjamin Dambielle started in their defeat away to Bordeaux-Begles last week and the club simply has to beat Castres this week to keep their Top 14 play-off hopes alive.

Should Sexton see significant game time it would leave Schmidt with adifficult decision to make for the visit of the Azzurri to Lansdowne Road on March 8, but the Ireland coach is keeping his cards close to his chest.

“I wouldn’t say it rules him out (for Italy if Sexton plays this week) but it forces a decision on us depending on how he comes out of the game: whether he is off the bench or whether he starts the game.

“I’m not sure of the injury situation with Juan-Martin Hernandez but he would be the obvious guy to play in place of Johnny.

“He wasn’t a 100% last week apparently so I would be delighted if he was fully fit this week.

“That would certainly alleviate some of the stress on Johnny, particularly because if he can get a bit of time for that thumb injury not to be aggravated … I think it will be fine if it is notaggravated — but if it is then those sort of things can hang around for a while and makes it a bit more difficult.”

Sexton will obviously be absent today and tomorrow as the core of Schmidt’s squad — those men not required for PRO12 duties this weekend — take part in a mini-camp at Cooke Instonians RFC in Belfast.

Whatever about his mental well-being, more will be known aboutSexton’s physical state tomorrow when a medical update will be released on the back of scans taken by the IRFU’s medical team prior to his return to France.

Any lingering doubts over Brian O’Driscoll’s fitness were addressed by Schmidt who again declared the centre had suffered nothing worse than cramp in London — even if the misleading missive over Sexton begs a detached view on that. The prognosis on Peter O’Mahony, the one player the union has admitted to picking up an injury last weekend, was positive with the head coach describing it as some blood on his hamstring and something which should clear up quickly.

“Peter O’Mahony has no respect for his body,” Schmidt joked.