Ireland assistant coach Johnny Sexton has voiced his support for prop Tadhg Furlong following a citing for alleged misconduct during Leinster’s United Rugby Championship match against Munster on Saturday. Furlong has been accused of grabbing the genitals of Munster back-rower Gavin Coombes during the game. The alleged incident occurred late in the first half, prompting Coombes to bring it to the attention of referee Andrew Brace. However, the television match official Colin Stanley was unable to identify any clear evidence at the time.

Furlong, who participated in Ireland’s training session on Monday, faces the possibility of missing upcoming Nations Championship matches if found guilty at a disciplinary hearing. Sexton, a former Ireland player with 118 international caps, expressed confidence in Furlong’s character but remained cautious due to the ongoing investigation.

“I can’t say too much about it obviously, because the disciplinary process is ongoing,” Sexton said. “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.”

Leinster centre Garry Ringrose is expected to be sidelined for Ireland’s upcoming autumn internationals against Argentina, Fiji, and South Africa as he recovers from a hamstring injury. In contrast, Sexton provided a more optimistic update on fly-half Sam Prendergast, who was absent from the win over Munster due to a wrist injury.

“I saw him earlier 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. Ireland’s squad will monitor player fitness closely ahead of their forthcoming fixtures as the disciplinary process concerning Furlong unfolds.