Ireland defend Sexton inclusion after 12-week lay-off

The IRFU has fired an angry broadside at allegations that sending Johnny Sexton into RBS 6 Nations action against France after a 12-week concussion lay-off could prove “a big mistake”.

Former France international Laurent Benezech criticised Ireland’s decision to start Sexton against Les Bleus in Dublin today, following his three-month stand-down for suffering four concussions in one year.

Ireland stoutly defended the decision to select the Racing Metro fly-half all week, but moved to issue a pointed statement on Friday night, “to clarify some facts”.

Ireland revealed for the first time on Friday that Sexton could have played against Italy last weekend – and by inference sought to highlight their careful handling of the British and Irish Lions fly-half.

“Player welfare is the primary concern of the Ireland medical and management team,” read the IRFU statement.

“All of the medical experts directly involved in the management of Johnny Sexton are satisfied that he is fit to return to the field of play.”

Irish bosses branded Benezech’s comments as a “disappointing and inaccurate commentary”, explaining Sexton has remained free of any concussion symptoms for the last two months of his enforced three-month absence.

Former France star Benezech told the Irish Times: “Ireland is in trouble as playing Sexton after what happened to him is a big mistake.”

Sexton was stood down from action by independent neurologists instructed by the French Top 14’s governing body, and the IRFU has acceded to those wishes throughout his 12-week break from action.

The IRFU statement continued: “Johnny was cleared to play on Thursday, February 5 by independent neurologists in France and Ireland, the FFR concussion review committee, the Racing Metro medical team, the Ireland medical team.”

Ireland’s statement is a step rendered all the more unusual given the detail within it was not revealed or volunteered in a Friday lunchtime press conference, despite much discussion of Sexton’s situation.

Ireland had not previously made public the fact that they chose not to select Sexton for their first-round clash in Rome, which Joe Schmidt’s side won 26-3 last weekend.

The intimation was that Sexton was simply not available as he completed the final week of his three-month absence.

Friday night’s statement claims otherwise, and is designed to assert the IRFU’s right to field Sexton this weekend, and prove an extra level of sensitivity to their approach.

Sexton himself remains unmoved, admitting he fully expects to see battering-ram Mathieu Bastareaud in his face in the opening exchanges against France on Saturday.

“I don’t think it takes a rocket scientist to figure out that they are going to do that,” Sexton told RTE Sport of France’s plan to send Bastareaud his way.

“Hopefully that first tackle will get me into the game.”