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Biggar lands blow as exchange of compliments escalates with Sexton
Wales captain Dan Biggar says that Johnny Sexton “would be very near the top” in terms of a most difficult opponent during his rugby career.
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The fly-half rivals – 2017 British and Irish Lions colleagues in New Zealand – are set for the latest of their many career battles when Ireland and Wales kick off this season’s Guinness Six Nations on Saturday.
Between them, they have won 196 caps for their countries and amassed almost 1,500 points, and their influence shows no sign of waning.
“Whenever I get asked who has been the most difficult person to play against of the last 10-12 years, there is no doubt Johnny’s name would be very near the top,” Biggar said.
“He is very similar to myself in terms of the drive, the will to win, scrapping for absolutely everything on the field.
“It’s a testament to him in how he has managed to handle himself and keep his form going into his mid-30s. I don’t think anyone is sure how old he really is!
“He is going really strong, and I’ve got a huge amount of time for Johnny. There are very few people more deserving of 100 caps in international rugby than Johnny.
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“It is always a challenge playing against him. We may not be the best of friends for 80 minutes on the pitch and quite narky at each other.
“But away from the field, he is an absolute pleasure to deal with and I have a huge amount of time for him.”
Biggar takes the captaincy reins from an injured Alun Wyn Jones as Wales begin their Six Nations title defence.
Jones’ absence is among several to hit head coach Wayne Pivac’s plans, with his fellow Lions like Leigh Halfpenny, Ken Owens, Justin Tipuric and Josh Navidi also sidelined.
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In Biggar, though, Pivac has turned to a natural leader who will relish the challenges ahead, including a testing Aviva Stadium opener, where Wales have won just once from their last seven visits.
“I’ve seen the captaincy more as a tag than a burden or anything which is going to add extra pressure, because I am going to try to be exactly the same as I was in terms of being around the boys in training,” Biggar added.
“Ultimately, I want to be exactly the same as I’ve always been. A lot of the very good captains I have played under know when to speak and when not to, so it doesn’t just become white noise when they do speak.
“I think that is the biggest thing, which is something I will have to learn on the job a little bit because my voice is normally heard in training because of the position I play and the standards I expect.
“I don’t want to be the general of the team making the point and then do the same as captain. I’ve asked a lot of the players around me to make sure it is not just my voice.
“We’ve been lucky to have a fair bit of success over the last number of years. When you are successful and achieve, it sort of becomes second nature.
“We are also aware it’s going to be a tough ask with the number of players we have got missing, but we work our socks off here.
“It is certainly not a holiday camp, and if you put a lot of hard work in, you tend to get results at the end of it.”
Comments on RugbyPass
A lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
1 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
2 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
2 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
21 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
21 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to commentsMake what step up? Manie has a World Cup winner’s medal around his neck and changed the way the Springboks can play. He doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone. The win record of the Boks with him in the team is tremendous. Sacha can be wonderful and I hope he has a very succesful Bok career, but comparing him to Manie in terms of the next Bok flyhalf is very strange. Manie is the incumbent (not the next) and doing pretty incredibly.
4 Go to comments