Sidelined.

Ireland captain Johnny Sexton will once again be unavailable for selection this weekend casting doubts over his possible inclusion in Warren Gatland’s Lions squad on Thursday.

Sexton has been out for a number of weeks now with a concussion problem but has long been expected to travel to South Africa with the Lions on the back of an impressive Six Nations.

But Leinster have revealed this afternoon that he will once again not be available for selection this weekend as they get set to take on Connacht in the PRO14 Rainbow Cup with no update as of yet on his fitness.

Owen Farrell and Dan Biggar are expected to be named in Gatland’s squad but the New Zealander may opt to go with Finn Russell as his third playmaker given the uncertainty over Sexton and his injury record.

Caelan Doris meanwhile will be assessed this week after picking up a minor calf problem recently and could yet still be a potential Lions bolter.