Johnny Sexton will not enjoy seeing these quotes from the British & Irish Lions head coach.
Warren Gatland is concerned as many Irish rugby fans about Sexton’s injury profile over the past three years.
Whereas concussion was the hot topic during his time with Racing 92, Sexton has endured persistent hamstring problems. His left has kept him out of, and withdrawn early from, matches but his right hamstring is what currently has him sidelined. The out-half also had shoulder surgery over the summer.
Gatland named the spine of his Lions coaching team at Carton House on Wednesday and was asked if he had any concerns for a man that, for a long time, looked like a guaranteed Lions No.10 for New Zealand.
The Kiwi observed that it was very important for Sexton to ‘get through the Six Nations’. Gatland told reporters that he would be preparing Sexton for all eventualities were he to make the wider squad. He said:
“It’s making sure I do my job properly. You look at the quality of someone like Johnny Sexton and the experience he’s had.
“The conversation with Jonny might be, ‘We might take you on tour. There’s been a little bit of concern about your durability. If you do pick up a knock or an injury and you’re out for a couple of weeks, the quality of the squad is such that someone else could step into your shoes and when you come back, normally when you come back in an Irish situation, it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been out, you go straight back into the team as number one.
“‘’If you come into a Lions situation, if someone is playing well, you might not be going back into that starting side as the 10, you might be sitting on the bench or not involved. How are you going to be able to handle that? Are you going to be prepared for that? What’s your attitude around the team and squad going to be like?'”
Gatland will be able to chose from players such as Dan Biggar, George Ford, Finn Russell and current England No.12 Owen Farrell for out-half duties.
He also highlighted how Joey Carbery and Paddy Jackson are really starting to press their respective cases within the Irish set-up.
Diarmuid Connolly makes his long overdue GAA Hour debut and talks to Colm Parkinson about everything from the black card to his rivalry with Lee Keegan and how he honed the ability to kick accurately with either foot.
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