Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Tadhg Furlong was in Ireland training on Tuesday after he was cited for an alleged groin grab
ByAndy GrayBBC Sport NI Journalist- Published2 minutes ago
Ireland's assistant coach Jonathan Sexton has backed prop Tadhg Furlong after the Leinster prop was cited for an alleged groin grab.
The incident happened late in the first half of Leinster's United Rugby Championship win on Saturday when Munster back row Gavin Coombes alleged to referee Andrew Brace he had been grabbed in the groin by an unnamed Leinster player.
Television match official [TMO] Colin Stanley could not find any evidence at the time, but Furlong, 33, was cited on Monday over the incident and could miss Ireland's Nations Championship fixtures if found guilty.
Furlong trained with Ireland on Tuesday and, speaking after that session, Sexton said he backed his former provincial and international team-mate.
"In terms of the incident, I can't say too much about it obviously, because the disciplinary process is ongoing," said Sexton, who won 118 Ireland caps as a player.
"But I know Tadhg as a person, first and foremost, and I don't think that's something he would have done.
"So I just have to back him in that regard, but we'll see what happens with the disciplinary hearing."
Sexton added that Furlong had started the season "pretty well" for Leinster after an injury-hit last campaign.
"His body's good, which is always a good thing with Tadhg. When his body's good, he tends to play really well."
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In October last year, South Africa front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels received a nine-match suspension for grabbing Josh Murphy's genitals in the Bulls' URC win over Connacht.
For that incident, Wessels was handed a 12-week suspension - the shortest ban under World Rugby rules for such an offence - that was reduced by three weeks due to his "good conduct prior to and at the hearing and good record".
If similar action was taken against Furlong, he could miss Ireland's four matches in November against Argentina, Fiji, South Africa and then the finals weekend of the Nations Championship in London.
He could also be banned for Leinster's Investec Champions Cup Pool match with Sale, as well as the festive inter-provincial derbies with Ulster and Munster.
On Monday, after the news that Furlong had been cited, Leinster assistant coach Robin McBryde said it was "completely out of character for Tadhg".
"There is a process in place and we'll allow that process to run its course," McBryde said.
"I can't even remember him having a yellow card, never mind anything else, in the years I have been working with him. Hopefully that will be taken into consideration.
"Sometimes things happen on the pitch, but the only one who can answer that is Tadhg."
Prendergast 'progressing well'
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Johnny Sexton is Ireland's assistant coach under Andy Farrell and is open to working with other Irish teams and provinces
While Furlong's availability for the November window is uncertain, Sexton provided a positive update on fly-half Sam Prendergast.
Prendergast missed Leinster's win over Munster with a wrist injury picked up in training, and Sexton hoped the 23-year-old would phase back into training at the end of the week.
"He has progressed really well. I saw him earlier doing a bit of passing with the physios and he's still working through, so we'll see how he pitches up over the next couple of days," Sexton added.
"He will maybe take part in a little bit of training at the back end of the week. If not, maybe the start next week."
As part of his coaching role with Irish rugby, Sexton said he is available to the women's team, underage teams or any of the four Irish provinces if they would like him to come on board.
"What was made clear from the start was that it would be driven by those specific teams," he said.
"So they pick up the phone, they reach out to me, and I go to the team."
The 41-year-old added that it "has to be driven by them" and he was looking forward to doing some work with Scott Bemand's women's team, who are in the middle of their WXV Global Series match in South Africa.
"I'm very open and happy to go in and work with Leinster, Munster, Connacht, Ulster.
"But it has to be them. I'm not just going to rock up and do a session with random teams when I'm not wanted, so that's how it works."
