Murray Kinsella reports from Cardiff
IRELAND HAVE SUFFERED a huge blow with confirmation that Johnny Sexton is out of tomorrow’s World Cup quarter-final against Argentina.
Ian Madigan will start at out-half tomorrow in Cardiff.
It had appeared that Sexton would recover from an adductor injury to start in the 10 shirt for Ireland, and Joe Schmidt yesterday stressed that the out-half was fit.
However, Sexton will not play against Argentina and is a doubt for the remainder of the tournament, should Schmidt’s men progress tomorrow.
Ireland have opted to keep Sexton in their World Cup squad for now, saying that he underwent a fresh scan on the injury yesterday after tightening up in training and repeating that it is “a very minor adductor strain.”
Schmidt has added Isaac Boss to his squad, although the Leinster scrum-half replaces the previously ruled out Jared Payne. Boss joined the group last night after his province’s Pro12 clash with the Scarlets.
Sexton sustained the adductor injury during last weekend’s win over France at the Millennium Stadium, forcing him to leave the field in the first half.
Madigan was superb off the bench for Ireland in that victory and will come into Ireland’s starting XV for tomorrow, with Paddy Jackson promoted to the replacements.
The loss of Sexton adds to those of captain Paul O’Connell, blindside flanker Peter O’Mahony and outside centre Payne, all three of whom are injured, as well as the suspended Sean O’Brien.
