Cullen says Sexton not likely to miss any chunk of Six Nations
Leo Cullen has played down fears that Jonathan Sexton could be an injury worry for Ireland ahead of the Six Nations after the out-half hobbled out of Leinster’s Champions Cup stalemate with Castres this evening, writes Brendan O’Brien.
The ten managed just 20 minutes in the 24-all draw at Stade Pierre Antoine before making way with a calf injury.
“It’s very early days yet,” said the Leinster head coach when asked if Sexton’s Six Nations might be impaired.
“I don’t imagine so but I don't know. We’ll wait and see. He’ll get scanned and he has all next week and the week after before he gets into that first game so we’ll get the reports early next week.”
Sexton has had a frustrating season, one which began late due to a shoulder rehabilitation and further impaired by a pair of troublesome hamstrings which have diluted his time spent in both green and blue jerseys in recent months.
“He just had a bit of stiffness in his calf,” said Cullen when asked for an update after Leinster’s 24-all draw that all but guarantees the province a home quarter-final tie in early April when the Six Nations is put to bed.
“We’ll see how he presents. Isa (Nacewa) went off as well. He had that dead leg from last week and it was just stiffening in bit by bit.
“We obviously have Rob (Kearney) and Ross (Byrne) there but it’s not ideal losing two key guys in the first 35 minutes. I thought those guys came in and did very well.”
Leinster hung on for a draw that all but guarantees them a home quarter-final. Only a 62-point win for Connacht in Toulouse on Sunday can stop that happening now. A weekend of watching games elsewhere awaits before they know who their next opponent will be.
“To us it doesn't really matter, every team in this competition is good,” said Jamie Heaslip. “In my experience in the competition, once you get out of the group it's anyone's game, it's tough.
“It's not an easy competition to go all the way to the final and it's even harder to win it.
“So, we're qualified now, we'll watch the games over the weekend and see how it pans out but it's a content changing-room. It's out of our hands, but we're happy and we're looking forward to the quarter-finals.”
