French newspaper L’Equipe is reporting that Racing Metro and Ireland fly-half Jonny Sexton has been ruled out of action until after Valentine’s Day next year.
That timeframe would rule the player out of Ireland’s opening Six Nations game against Italy on February 7 and put him in doubt for their second match, against France on February 14.
Sexton has not played rugby since picking up a head injury playing with Ireland in the November series. He received two separate knocks to the head on the day Ireland played Australia, one during the pre-match warm up and another during the game.
L’Equipe reports that the player has been instructed not to play until after that date by a French neurosurgeon, although he is permitted to train.
Racing Metro head coach Laurent Labit has told a press conference, “He will not play a match until he’s 100 per cent.”
#Labit :"Tant que Sexton ne se sentira pas à 100% il ne fera pas de match" #RM92ASR
— Racing 92 (@racing92) December 18, 2014