Phew.
During Friday’s captain’s run at the Aviva Stadium ahead of Ireland’s crunch Six Nations clash with Wales, concerns grew over the fitness of Johnny Sexton.
The influential fly-half was seen receiving treatment to his lower back from one of the physios. Naturally, the sign of Sexton in any sort of discomfort is enough to set alarm bells ringing on the eve of such an important match, but luckily captain Rory Best was on hand to assuage fears.
The Ulsterman faced the media on Friday and put paid to the idea that Sexton was going to be anything but 100% for the visit of Warren Gatland’s men to Dublin on Saturday afternoon.
“Yeah he’s grand. He’s just getting a bit older, so he needed a bit longer to warm up,” Best said in jest when asked about Sexton receiving treatment.
“He came into the tail end of the session. He let the subs run at the start and then the starters finished off. No concerns.”
Best will surpass Paul O’Connell’s tally of Ireland Tests when he turns out against Wales this weekend, with the 35-year-old hooker set to win his 109th cap.
Only Ronan O’Gara (128) and Brian O’Driscoll (133) have more. Ireland v Wales kicks off at 2.05pm.
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