Sexton Archives - SportsNewsIreland

Connors and Clarkson back in full training with Leinster

JoeNa Connacht — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 14:55:55 +0000

Leinster Rugby head coach Leo Cullen has issued an injury update ahead of Saturday’s United Rugby Championship game against Ulster at the RDS Arena – their first interprovincial game of the season (Kick-Off: 8.00 pm).

Thomas Clarkson and Will Connors have returned to training for the province after their respective hamstring and knee injuries.

Clarkson helped his club Dublin University to a dramatic victory over Lansdowne in the Energia Men’s All-Ireland League at the weekend.

Connors will undergo further assessment in his first week of full training since picking up his knee injury.

Jamison Gibson-Park will also be assessed throughout the week after he missed Ireland’s win over Argentina with a thigh injury.

Jack Conan, Johnny Sexton and James Ryan are not available for selection this weekend after picking up injuries on international duty.

Conan and Ryan withdrew late from the Ireland matchday 23 to face Argentina, whom they were both set to start against.

Number eight Conan will be further reviewed this week for a quad injury while lock Ryan has entered the Graduated Return to Play Protocols.

Leinster and Ireland captain Johnny Sexton will be unavailable for three to five weeks due to a knee and ankle issue.

Conor O’Brien and Dave Kearney are also unavailable after picking up injuries in last week’s Leinster ‘A’ win away to Ulster.

O’Brien will be sidelined for several months after sustaining a hamstring injury while Kearney will only need a couple of weeks to recover from his back injury.

No updates were given on the status of prop Michael Milne and back Rory O’Loughlin who continue to recover from their calf and shoulder injuries.

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Sexton ruled out, Carty in and Coombes returns for Ireland

JoeNa Connacht — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 14:15:31 +0000

Ireland captain Johnny Sexton will miss the final fixture of the national team’s Autumn Internationals after he twisted a knee and ankle against New Zealand at the weekend.

The injury will rule Sexton out of action for 4-6 weeks but the Ireland captain will remain with the squad this week as the team prepares for the game against Argentina.

Sexton went down in the first half of the match and was treated on the pitch but played on until he required a Head Injury Assessment in the 65th minute.

Connacht’s Jack Carty has joined the Ireland squad for the final week of the Autumn Nations Series after a strong start to the season with the Westerners.

Carty leads the points charts in the United Rugby Championship, having scored 56 after five rounds with 20 combined penalties and conversions slotted between the posts.

The fly-half could make his first appearance in the national green since the Rugby World Cup in 2019 – he started at 10 in Ireland’s infamous loss to Japan.

Munster number 8 Gavin Coombes has returned to the squad having missed last week through illness.

Coombes will aim to get some more international minutes under his belt after making his debut earlier this year.

The 23-year-old is one of a wealth of back-row options that Ireland currently has at its disposal.

Ireland’s final game of the Autumn Nations Series is against Mario Ledesma’s Argentina, who are looking to end a disappointing year on a high.

Ireland, on the other hand, have a chance to end their year with an eighth win in a row after beginning it with two successive defeats.

Los Pumas were last in Dublin in 2018 when Ireland emerged as the victors 28-17.

Another great crowd is expected at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday with over 45,000 tickets sold to date. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.ie.

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Johnny Sexton to captain Ireland for 100th cap against Japan

JoeNa Connacht — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 13:29:45 +0000

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has named the matchday squad for the opening Autumn Nations Series test match against Japan at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, November 6.

There are two significant cap milestones as captain Jonathan Sexton will win his 100th cap and Tadhg Furlong his 50th.

Sexton is joined at half-back by Jamison Gibson Park with Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose reunited in the centre for the first time since the rescheduled Six Nations fixture against Italy in October 2020.

Hugo Keenan starts at fullback in his 14^th consecutive game for Ireland and is flanked in the backfield by Andrew Conway and James Lowe.

Seven Leinster players are present in the pack with Tadhg Beirne being the only exception in the second row.

The dominant trio of Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher and Furlong make up the Irish front row.

Beirne is slotted behind the three front-rowers, with Leinster lock James Ryan joining him in the number five shirt.

Another Leinster trio make up the back row – Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier and Jack Conan.

The replacements named for Saturday’s game are uncapped hooker Dan Sheehan, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Iain Henderson, Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray, Joey Carbery and Keith Earls.

Ireland won the most recent match involving the two sides in July – a nine-try thriller that ended 39-31.

The game will kick-off at 1 pm and will be available to watch on RTÉ 2.

Ireland team v Japan

15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 13 caps
14. Andrew Conway (Munster/Garryowen) 25 caps
13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 34 caps
12. Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians) 31 caps
11. James Lowe (Leinster) 6 caps
10. Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 99 caps CAPTAIN
9. Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 10 caps

1. Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 37 caps
2. Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Lansdowne) 13 caps
3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf) 49 caps
4. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 22 caps
5. James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 37 caps
6. Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 9 caps
7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 32 caps
8. Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 20 caps

Replacements
16. Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne)*
17. Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 109 caps
18. Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 16 caps
19. Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy) 63 caps
20. Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 76 caps
21. Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 89 caps
22. Joey Carbery (Munster/Clontarf) 24 caps
23. Keith Earls (Munster/Young Munster) 93 caps

*denotes uncapped player

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