Sexton in squad for Italy game

The IRFU stuck to their guns last night — as expected — by naming number ten Jonathan Sexton in Joe Schmidt’s extended squad ahead of Saturday’s Six Nations meeting with Italy in Dublin.

The Racing Metro out-half played no part in his club’s 25-15 Top 14 defeat of Castres at home on Saturday, as flagged by Ronan O’Gara last Thursday, with the Paris club insisting late last week that he would miss ten days to six weeks with the thumb injury sustained against England in London.

The Irish union begged to differ when that oddly vague recovery period was announced from France but it will most likely be Thursday around lunchtime when Schmidt names his match-day team and squad before his well-being will be known for sure.