How Johnny Sexton rates the current Scotland team
Ireland captain Johnny Sexton feels he is preparing to face the best Scotland team of the Six Nations era after declaring himself fit for Sunday’s Murrayfield showdown.
Andy Farrell’s men travel to Edinburgh with Grand Slam aspirations still in tact thanks to bonus-points wins over Wales, France and Italy.
The world’s top-ranked nation have dominated matches against the Scots during the past decade, winning 11 of the past 12 meetings.
But Gregor Townsend’s side have been a far tougher proposition in this year’s tournament – beating England and Wales before defeat in France – and are bidding for a first Triple Crown since the 1990 Five Nations to keep themselves in title contention.
Fly-half Sexton, who sat out the round-three win in Rome due to a groin issue sustained against France, believes Ireland are “privileged” to be vying for a clean sweep and is braced for the greatest test of the championship so far.
“We don’t consider ourselves favourites, we don’t even talk about that,” he said. “We think it’s going to be an incredibly tough game.
“They’re probably the best Scottish team – maybe not of all time because there are Scottish teams that have gone on to win championships and stuff – but definitely the best Scottish team we’ve played against.
“Probably since the Six Nations started, it’s the best Scottish team. It will be a really, really tough game and it will probably be our toughest of the championship so far.”
Ireland set aside the absence of a host of star men at Stadio Olimpico, including their influential skipper, to remain as the competition’s pacesetters.
Sexton, who confirmed he is “good to go” this weekend, previously won a Grand Slam in 2018 – the third Six Nations triumph of his distinguished career.
The 37-year-old believes Scottish hope of ending a 33-year Triple Crown drought adds an extra edge to a tricky away trip.
“Every team comes into this competition wanting to win a Grand Slam, wanting to win a championship and that’s why it’s so important to get off to a good start because it keeps everything alive,” he said.
“We still have them in our grasp so we obviously talk about it and make sure that we deal with the pressure that comes with that but it’s a privileged position to be going for it.”
Speaking of Scotland’s Triple Crown aspirations, he continued: “It’s something that we’re going to have to acknowledge because it’s going to make for a very special atmosphere over there I’m sure – it always is a very special atmosphere even if there was nothing on the line.
“But it’s a huge game now with them going for a Triple Crown and still in the championship and us obviously in the championship and obviously wanting to try and win a Triple Crown ourselves.
“It’s a massive game, so it’s great to be a part of.”
Sexton could also achieve a personal milestone on Sunday as he is closing in on becoming the Six Nations’ all-time leading points scorer.
The Leinster man, who sits just seven championship points short of former team-mate Ronan O’Gara’s record total of 557, insists collective glory tops individual achievement.
“It’s something that people say to you or you see it on social media,” he said. “Irish Rugby tagged me in something today, which I wasn’t too happy about!
“It’s there but I don’t think it’s going to add any pressure to me or anything like that. It’s not something I ever set out to do.
“I’d rather not score another point and win a championship, win a Grand Slam than get the points record. It doesn’t bother me too much. If it comes, fantastic, but it’s not something I lose sleep over.
“If the right decision is to go to the corner and pass on points, I will do that.
“But if you do it, it’s an amazing mark to do. Ronan obviously had an amazing career and even just to be in that same conversation is enough for me.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Should've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to comments