B rian O'Driscoll admits it would boost Ireland's World Cup hopes if the union was able to buy Johnny Sexton out of his racing Metro contract. Ireland's coaching staff hope fly-half Sexton will be able to train today to end confusion surrounding his thumb ligament strain.
"We'll receive a further specialist review on Monday, and the hope is that he will be made available to us to train on Tuesday," said Ireland team manager Michael Kearney yesterday.
French Top 14 club racing last week predicted Sexton would miss between 10 days and six weeks with the thumb problem he suffered in the 13-10 England defeat.
The irish rugby Football Union quickly released a statement clarifying ireland's medics still expected him to recover in time to face Italy this Saturday.
Sexton's move from Leinster to France last summer leaves the IRFU unable to control when he plays and when he rests. Sexton is contracted at racing until summer 2015, but there have been suggestions the IRFU will seek to buy him out of the second year of his French contract to bring him back to Leinster.
British and irish Lions playmaker Sexton could see out his racing deal and still return to Ireland in time for the World Cup, but he has struggled to settle in France and the Paris club have also endured a mixed campaign.
Stalwart centre O'Driscoll refused to comment on behind-the-scenes dealings, but admitted Sexton's return would be a boost to boss Schmidt's preparations for the World Cup in England next year.
"i don't want to talk out of turn where Johnny is contracted to racing, and i think it would be disrespectful to them to say we were looking at taking him away from them," he said.
"i think everyone is in agreement that we didn't want to see him go, and if a situation arose where he did come back, and some agreement was made, i don't see that possibly being a negative."