Johnny Sexton again fails to feature for Leinster

Johnny Sexton has failed to make Leinster’s matchday 23 for today’s inter-provincial Guinness PRO12 clash with Ulster, despite head coach Leo Cullen’s hopes that the out-half would make his return to action this weekend.

Cullen had suggested he was “hopeful he [Sexton] will come through” for the sold-out RDS showdown, but the 31-year-old out-half fails to feature having had his fitness monitored at Santry’s Sports Surgery Clinic.

The Leinster head coach was happy with Sexton’s performance in training last Tuesday, and emphasised that the Dubliner was “dying to get back involved”, but added the proviso that “he is a nationally contracted player. We want to try and do what’s best for Johnny.”