RUGBY OPINION
Sexton settles scrappy contest
By Daire Walsh
FOLLOWING another frantic weekend of Six Nations action against their French counterparts, all three Irish sides remain in the hunt for Championship honours.
Joe Schmidt’s senior men’s side did make hard work of their 18-11 triumph, but any win over France is to be savoured, and it was certainly pleasing to see that the pre-match doubts over Jonathan Sexton, Sean O’Brien and Cian Healy were largely answered.
Sexton finished with 15 points to his name, and although there was some concern when a clash of heads with powerful French centre Mathieu Bastareaud led to his temporary withdrawal from the action (Ian Madigan scored a penalty in his absence), his concussion problems appear to behind him for the time being.
Unfortunately, there is a strong possibility that Jamie Heaslip’s campaign has come to end after the Naas man damaged his vertebrae upon receiving a knee in the back from French lock Pascal Pape.
Elsewhere, Nigel Carolan’s U20s continued their excellent start to the year, when they registered a total of four tries in an outstanding 37-20 win over their French counterparts. Kildare’s Billy Dardis was once again on the scoresheet, and with Jeremy Loughman and promising Athy youngster Joey Carberry also involved, it was a night to remember for the Irish in Dubarry Park, Athlone.
There was heartbreak for the Green Army in the Women’s Six Nations in Ashbourne on Friday evening, but the game will probably be remembered for all the wrong reasons.
With the sides scoreless, the floodlights faded just 15 seconds into the second half. A filter in the club’s generator had stopped working, and with no resolution in sight, the second pitch was being prepared. Fortunately, the main pitch was restored to full power all of 50 minutes later, but this episode will raise serious questions about the suitability of Ashbourne as a host for the women’s team.
Ireland (who featured Kilcullen’s Jenny Murphy in their side) did eventually open the scoring with an Ailis Egan try, but five points apiece from Caroline Boujard and Jessy Tremoulière helped to swing the outcome in France’s favour.
The weekend’s rugby action was completed on Sunday afternoon, when Leinster’s 21-game unbeaten run in the RDS was brought to an end by Newport Gwent Dragons. In the absence of several Six Nations-tied players, Suncroft man Fergus McFadden made a much-welcomed return from injury, but despite gaining the ascendancy with a 67th minute try from Dave Kearney, a subsequent penalty by Tom Prydie resulted in a 16-14 reversal for Leinster, who remain outside of the Guinness Pro12 top-four for the time being.
Finally, the draw for the semi-final of the Leinster Schools’ Senior Cup has been made. Newbridge College secured a 13-5 success over St Andrew’s College in the quarter-final on Tuesday thanks to tries from Brian Larkin and Mike Joyce, and can now look forward to a March 4th date with league final opponents Cistercian College Roscrea, who recorded a shock victory over champions Blackrock College.
Clane’s Clongowes Wood College will face Belvedere College on the other side of the draw, which raises the possibility of an all-Kildare decider on St Patrick’s Day.