It's something we became rather accustomed to during the World Cup. The dreaded injury update. The further we went through the tournament the more the Irish camp's daily media briefings turned into something akin to an actual game of rugby where the likelihood of Ireland progress through the tournament ebbed and flowed with every word. It wasn't particularly enjoyable but such is the game.
It's less than two weeks to go until the Six Nations kicks off and we're back waiting on injury updates. This time it's of the Leinster variety but the international scene is very much in mind. After Marty Moore and Johnny Sexton were forced off during Leinster's heavy loss to Wasps on Saturday, the province have given further details of the Irish pairs prognosis and it's particularly bad news for Moore.
The tighthead prop is out of the Six Nations campaign having sustained a grade two hamstring tear which will keep him out of action for between six and eight weeks.
That's certainly a blow for both the player and for Joe Schmidt. However, on the Johnny Sexton front, it appears there's some significantly more positive, if slightly confusing news. Speaking to the press today, Leo Cullen stated that Sexton in fact passed the head injury assessment on Saturday and was only withdrawn as a precaution, a decision taken by the medics.
If that is indeed the case, then it would appear that fears over Sexton's Six Nations participation, and his career, are wide of the mark. That is however, at odds with the injury update that was provided after the game on Saturday in which Leinster stated that he did fail the HIA.
Nonetheless, it appears increasingly likely that, given today's reassessment of the facts surrounding his withdrawal on Saturday, Sexton will be available to face Wales when Ireland's Six Nations campaign kicks off on February 7th.
A further, more detailed, update on Sexton is expected from the IRFU later this afternoon.
