Too soon to call Sexton, O'Brien injuries - Ireland coach

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland coach Joe Schmidt said it was too early to say how serious Johnny Sexton's injured hamstring and Sean O'Brien's concussion are after the two key players failed to finish the 19-9 Six Nations victory over England on Sunday. O'Brien, who has just returned after missing much of the last 18 months with a shoulder injury, was replaced after he stumbled badly when trying to get up from a heavy hit in the first half. Sexton left the field holding his hamstring after kicking Ireland's final points midway through the second half and would be a major loss if he was unfit to face Wales in two weeks time as Ireland seek to retain their title. "Johnny just felt a twinge in his hamstring when he was kicking that conversion from the corner, we haven't had that assessed so I can't really comment as to the severity or non severity of that," Schmidt told a news conference. "Sean O'Brien, we're not quite sure how it happened, he's going to go through the protocols in the next six days. He's certainly asymptomatic at the moment, he's fine, just a little bit grumpy and disappointed he didn't get to see out the match." Ireland centre Jared Payne, who went off late on with a head injury, did not suffer a concussion and is fully fit, Schmidt added. (Reporting by Padraic Halpin, editing by Ed Osmond)