Hook is not happy.
Well-known broadcaster and TV personality George Hook is threatening to sue Leinster and Ireland out-half Jonathan Sexton over comments Sexton made in a recent interview with The Irish Times.
According to The Irish Times, the paper has rejected a request from Hook for an apology, the withdrawal of the article and a “proportional donation” to the IRFU charitable trust over comments made by Sexton in an interview with Gerry Thornley, the Irish Times rugby correspondent, which was published in the paper ahead of Ireland’s clash with England last Saturday.
Sexton is said to be consulting with his solicitors on the matter.
Hook has expressed his opinion of late that Sexton should consider retirement because of recent instances of concussion, saying in a piece in the Irish Independent: “Maybe it’s time he gave serious consideration to cashing in his insurance policy and leaving rugby with his faculties still intact.”
In his interview with The Irish Times last weekend, Sexton responded to Hook’s comments, questioning whether the pundit actually believed what he was saying.
The following is an excerpt from the interview, which was published in last Saturday’s Irish Times.
“‘He thinks I should have retired when I was 21,’ says Sexton, laughing.
‘He’s still in the O’Gara camp even though Rog has retired. Look, what can you say to that? I don’t know if he actually believes that. You’ve got to take it with a pinch of salt, and people have to promote themselves, they have to sell papers. People look after themselves at the end of the day.’”
Solicitors acting on Hook’s behalf subsequently penned a letter addressed to Sexton at Leinster Rugby, saying that Hook deeply valued his good name and that he had worked tirelessly to promote player welfare in the game of rugby.
“He has, as have many sports broadcasters and journalists,” the letter stated, “expressed their concern about your welfare in light of the number of head and upper body injuries you have suffered from.”
The letter went on to state that the article “very clearly questions our client’s integrity and objectivity; that our client does not believe what he writes or broadcasts about nor cares about the accuracy and that he is generating controversy over player welfare, including yours, from brain trauma arising from concussion in order to further his own career and to sell newspapers”.
Responding to Hook’s claims, The Irish Times said that while Hook might not like Sexton’s comments, that as a pundit who himself expresses his opinions in a “deliberately robust and provocative style,” Hook must recognise the player’s right to respond.
