JOHNNY SEXTON will miss Ireland's final game in the Autumn Nations due to a twisted knee and ankle injury suffered in Ireland's 29-20 win over New Zealand at the Aviva Stadium. The fly-half will miss four to six weeks and will not play any part against Argentina this Sunday.
Sexton, who won his 100th international cap in the 60-5 win over Japan on November 6, left the Aviva Stadium field 15 minutes from time against the Kiwis.
“Captain Johnny Sexton twisted a knee and ankle against New Zealand at the weekend which will rule him out of action for between four to six weeks,” read a statement from the Irish Rugby Football Union.
#IrishRugby Squad Bulletin@JohnnySexton ruled out of @lospumas fixture & @JackCarty10 joins up with the squad
latest squad news⤵️https://t.co/0IVAjhgAur#TeamOfUs | #IREvARG— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) November 15, 2021
Sexton's replacement will be Connacht out-half Jack Carty, who many feel should have been called up already. He has now been drafted into Andy Farrell’s squad.
Sexton will stay with the Ireland team this week.
Leinster will be without Sexton for their opening Champions Cup games against Bath and Montpellier at the start of December and the URC games around those European fixtures. Joey Carbery is more than likely to start against Argentina, with Carty and Harry Byrne taking his usual spot on the bench.
Speaking about what his team might look like for Argentina, Andy Farrell said:
``We'll see, like I said at the start of the campaign there might be a balancing act when it comes to peoples’ tanks, with injuries etc.
‘So, we’ll dust ourselves down. It’s an eight-day turnaround, we’ll turn up on Monday evening and see where the land lies.’
Gavin Coombes is over his two week illness and returns to the squad
The team for Ireland will be named on Friday.
Ireland face Argentina on Sunday at 2.15pm in the last of the Autumn Nations Series ties.
DUBLIN, IRELAND - NOVEMBER 13: Johnny Sexton of Ireland and TJ Perenara of New Zealand (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)