Irish fly-half Johnny Sexton was heard by a disciplinary council on Thursday for suspicion of “misconduct” on the sidelines of the Champions Cup final but will only know the decision “in the coming days”, learned the AFP with the EPCR, the body which organizes the competition. The hearing was held by videoconference and lasted all day, the EPCR told AFP.
The emblematic opener of Leinster and the XV of Clover, who is 38 years old, had been referred to an independent disciplinary commission because of his behavior during the final lost by his province against La Rochelle on May 20 in Dublin. .
Forfeited by injury, Sexton did not participate in the match but was present at the Aviva Stadium to encourage his partners. According to several media, he would have verbally attacked the referee of the meeting, the South African Jaco Peyper, at the end of the match.
After investigation, the disciplinary officer at EPCR forwarded “complaints”, so that an independent disciplinary commission could “determine whether or not acts of misconduct were committed by Mr Sexton (by his behaviour) and by Leinster (which allegedly did not exercise reasonable control over Mr Sexton)’.
Operated on adductors in the spring, the opener with 113 selections in the Irish jersey had to withdraw for the end of the season. On the other hand, he appears on the list of 42 players unveiled on May 30 by the coach of the XV of Clover, the Englishman Andy Farrell, to prepare for the World Cup in France (September 8 – October 28). Sexton has long announced that the planetary tournament will be his last competition before retirement.
