Jackman: No risk of Johnny Sexton being banned for World Cup

Bernard Jackman said talk of Johnny Sexton potentially missing the Rugby World Cup due to suspension is "outlandish" and predicted the situation would likely be resolved with a fine.

Sexton is reportedly facing a nervy wait to see if the European Professional Club Rugby [EPCR] comes down heavy on him for allegedly approaching referee Jaco Peyper and his match officials Karl Dickson and Christophe Ridley after Leinster's loss to La Rochelle in the Heineken Champions Cup last month.

If the 37-year-old was to be found guilty of threatening match officials, he could receive a ban of up to 24 weeks, which would shatter his hopes of featuring at the autumn's World Cup in France.

However Jackman does not expect the outhalf to receive anything like that sort of punishment, telling RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland: "We're not sure how strong this case is and certainly some of the speculation about a 24-week ban and things like that seems to be quite outlandish.

"You'd imagine the EPCR, if they are going to bring discipline into it, they would need to do it quite quickly. It's dragging on quite a long time.

"I wouldn't say there's any risk of him not being able to play in the World Cup.

"If there is going to be a disciplinary [action] I would say it'd be a fine or maybe a small suspension, maybe putting him out of warm-up games. But I think this will go away quite quickly.

"When you hear of a 24-week ban and then you see some of the suspensions that have been handed out for actual physical acts, which endanger players' safety... this was in the heat of battle, very emotional after a game Leinster lost in another Champions Cup final when they haven't won it for a while.

"I think referees, officials all understand there's emotion involved,