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Rugby

25th Feb 2016

Joe Schmidt responds to Eddie Jones’ outrageous claims about Johnny Sexton’s injuries

Hornet's nest

Patrick McCarry

This will not go down well with the Irish team or management.

England coach Eddie Jones has raised health concerns over Johnny Sexton after the Irish out-half sustained another series of heavy blows against France.

Jones believes Sexton’s parents should be concerned for their son’s health after his latest spate of knocks [Wasps, Wales and France].

https://twitter.com/chjones9/status/702844375034945536

Asked about the Jones’ comments, Ireland coach Joe Schmidt said:

“Those extraneous things, we’re probably less affected by that than you people [the media]. If we’re distracted by that, it is something we are wasting our time on. We get little enough time as it is…

“People are within their rights to make whatever observations they like from outside the environment. We know how things are inside the environment. We know how eager and fit and able the players are. Johnny is a good example of someone who is very eager and we’ll see that on Saturday.”

Asked if Sexton was fully fit to play on Saturday, Schmidt said ‘Yes.”

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