A record defeat to Wasps and the return of Johnny Sexton's concussion worries at the worst possible time. If you're an Ireland fan of the Leinster variety, it was about as bad as it possibly could have been this weekend. The young guns' performance against Bath was a pick me up, the performance of the Irish internationals against Wasps was anything but.
Questions have to be asked about the likes of Rob Kearney and Jamie Heaslip but it's the status of Johnny Sexton that will cause most worry between now and the first weekend of the Six Nations. A year removed from his four month break as a result of multiple concussions, it was once again a head injury that forced the Ireland out-half out of the game at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday.
Thoughts immediately turned to Wales on February 7th. It would seem that, with just two weeks recovery, Joe Schmidt may have to look elsewhere for a playmaker to kick off the Six Nations campaign. While that's less than ideal in itself, the thought does turn to the long term given the stacking up of all Sexton's issues with concussion throughout his career. And although not everyone will agree with him, George Hook's take on the situation in today's Irish Independent is something that needs to be considered.
Is it time for Johnny Sexton to think about retirement for the sake of his health?
Sexton's tackling technique is deeply flawed, as he carries his head too high at the tackle, leaving him exposed to heavy hits - the forearm smash by Mathieu Bastareaud being the perfect example. The latest brain injury could be career-defining for Ireland's No 10 and will not easily be overlooked by him passing 'the protocols'.
What price is the 30-year-old prepared to put on his future health? How many more blows to the head is he prepared to take in the name of professional sport? Maybe it's time he gave serious consideration to cashing in his insurance policy and leaving rugby with his faculties still intact.
While the issue of Sexton's health is one that few fans will argue with Hook about, using that to stick the boot in to Joe Schmidt and David Nucifora may not be quite as easy to come to terms with. Hook's chief gripe in that regard is, unsurprisingly, the failure of Schmidt and Nucifora to have adequately prepared Ian Madigan to step into the breach when required.
Whether that be, in Schmidt's case, not playing him whenever possible (the summer tour of Argentina) or, in Nucifora's case, not doing everything possible to keep him in Ireland next season, Hook is less than complimentary about Ireland's back up plan. And heading into the Wales game that leaves us, according to the now former RTÉ pundit, in a worrying position.
So who now, in the No 10 shirt; Keatley, Madigan or Paddy Jackson? The Championship could be over before it starts.
