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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Michael Scully

Johnny Sexton and Tadhg Furlong won't return for Leinster ahead of Six Nations

Johnny Sexton and Tadhg Furlong will play no part in Leinster's final Champions Cup pool game with Racing 92 at the Aviva Stadium.

The province have confirmed that 42,000 tickets have been sold for Saturday's clash at the Aviva Stadium as Leinster, who qualified for the last 16 of the tournament by virtue of their seven-try victory at Gloucester last Saturday, aim to finish as Pool A's top seeds.

If they do so, Leo Cullen's side will guarantee themselves a home passage through to the final if they keep winning, with the decider taking place at the Lansdowne Road venue on May 20.

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It was not expected that Sexton would return from his cheekbone operation in time for the Racing clash, so Ross Byrne will continue at no 10 and will hope to have made Andy Farrell's Ireland squad for the Six Nations by then - Farrell names his squad on Thursday.

Sexton and Furlong remain key figures for the province and for Ireland, but it was hoped that Furlong would return after a recent calf injury scuppered his comeback hopes from an ankle injury.

However neither Sexton or Furlong are ready and it means they will go into the championship opener against Wales on February 4 without game time banked.

The Blues do have some players ready to return from injury against the Top 14 club, whose last-gasp victory over Harlequins in Paris yesterday keeps their hopes of progression alive.

Will Connors: is expected to train fully this week after recovering from a bicep injury and the same goes for Thomas Clarkson (arm) and Max Deegan, Luke McGrath and Joe McCarthy (all ankle).

Leinster say there are no further updates on Sexton, Furlong, Charlie Ngatai (hamstring), Ed Byrne (knee), Jason Jenkins (hamstring), Robbie Henshaw (wrist), Martin Moloney (knee), Ciarán Frawley (knee), Charlie Ryan (knee) and Tommy O’Brien (knee).

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