Sexton supports concussion protocols

Editor

Johnny Sexton has backed concussion protocols despite watching the final minutes of Ireland’s win over Australia from the sidelines.

Johnny Sexton has backed concussion protocols despite watching the final minutes of Ireland’s win over Australia from the sidelines.

The fly-half missed the last three minutes of the 26-23 victory as he underwent a head injury assessment, joining Rob Kearney, Gordon D’Arcy and Conor Murray in undergoing that test.

The scrum-half was the only one of the quartet to return to the pitch, and while Sexton would have loved to be out there, he believes the new protocols are having an impact in protecting players.

“I’ve had one bad concussion in my life, maybe six or seven years ago,” he told the Irish Times.

“Obviously the one against France (in the 2014 Six Nations) looked bad, but sometimes you just get caught on the chin. I probably felt okay the next day, that night.

“I think they’re looking after players more. People are more aware of it and it leads to more interest on the subject.

“As players we’re concerned about the effects it might have, if you have lots of bad ones, but I’m okay. Players always want to stay on; it’s the doctors who make the decision.

“We’re more educated now and when you do get a knock it’s ‘get them off, get them tested and if they’re okay get them back on’. What the specialists [encourage] is that even if they [concussions] are small they have to be looked after; that’s the big improvement.

“Before the small ones were just brushed aside. It’s great that we are looking after players now, that they are not making the same mistakes that were made previously.”