Sexton Suffers Fractured Thumb

Leinster out-half Jonathan Sexton fractured his thumb in the province’s Heineken Cup defeat to Leicester Tigers at Welford Road on Saturday.

The thumb will be put in a cast for four weeks to allow the injury to heal so the 22-year-old has been ruled out of the Ireland Six Nations squad for that period of time.

It means Sexton’s first involvement in the senior set-up, having been capped previously at underage and ‘A’ level, has to be delayed.

Eddie O’Sullivan’s squad for the forthcoming championship will come together later today in Killiney for the first time, as preparations begin in earnest for their opening match against Italy at Croke Park on February 2.