Joe Schmidt Reveals Why He Took Johnny Sexton Off After Crucial Kick

There was a very worrying sight for Irish fans, with six minutes to go, when Sexton looked in serious discomfort.

Ian Madigan took his place and, post-match, Joe Schmidt assured us all that his star man was withdrawn as a mere precaution.

“Dare I say it, there was a degree of ‘Let’s look after him for next week’ [against France] because we know how important that will be as well. Once he put us level, we felt we’d just get him off.

“It is not something he necessarily always agrees with but, again, he is also conscious that it is a five-match tournament and it is incredibly intense. We’re going to need him and everyone else to be as good as they can be next week.”

Ireland take on France on Saturday in Paris.