1
Johnny Sexton admits Ireland are currently falling short of being a top international team and must prove their credentials by ending the Guinness Six Nations with an overdue win over England. Defensive errors against Scotland on Sunday caused a 14-point lead to evaporate before a late penalty from nerveless captain Sexton allowed them to escape with a slender 27-24 success.
ADVERTISEMENT
Victory at Murrayfield moved the Irish second in the tournament standings ahead of the final weekend showdown with Eddie Jones’ men in Dublin.
Ireland are still seeking a first major scalp of the Andy Farrell era having twice been beaten by both France and England since the start of 2020.
Sexton was far from happy with the manner of the win in Edinburgh and – after early defeats to Grand Slam-chasing Wales and Les Bleus derailed their Championship hopes – wants to end an unconvincing campaign on a high.
“As good a team as Scotland are, we have to look at ourselves first and foremost and need to improve,” said the 35-year-old.
“If you have a 14-point lead in international rugby, the next moment is the most important one and you can – not finish the game – but put a statement down.
“Top teams they take the kick-off, they clear their lines and then they put pressure on again. We’re just short of that at the moment.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Focusing on England – who suffered surprise defeats to Scotland and Wales last month – Sexton continued: “We’re up to second now, so big end to the tournament next week. We feel that we’ve been building.
“We feel we were a little bit unlucky in the first couple of games but we’re playing against – even though they’ve had a couple of bad results – the team that was in the World Cup final, the team that won the Six Nations last year, the team that won the Autumn Nations Cup.
“They’re a top, top team and we have to prove that we can match them and put in a performance to beat one of the top teams because we haven’t done it as of yet.”
Ireland have not defeated England since clinching the 2018 Grand Slam in London, losing each of the four subsequent meetings.
ADVERTISEMENT
'Tom is a hell of a player now and will get better and better and turn into someone like Richie McCaw.'
– reports @chrisjonespress ???https://t.co/Sv5unxoLGf
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 15, 2021
After their title defence was snuffed out with two rounds to spare, the English responded with a statement win from Saturday’s enthralling clash with France.
Ireland head coach Farrell was impressed with the quality of that encounter and expects to face a buoyant England side.
“As far as the English are concerned, they’ll certainly reference their performance next week on what happened in the last performance,” he said.
“For all of the purists of rugby, I thought it was an outstanding game and both teams were deserved winners in the end.
“England played some outstanding rugby and so did France. That’s the team we’ve got coming over.
It can be ANY story from your rugby life on or off the field ? pic.twitter.com/bHX05arQXl
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 15, 2021
“Regarding their campaign so far, that’s for them to talk about, not us.”
Farrell could be without vice-captain James Ryan on Saturday after he suffered a head injury against the Scots, while he has a big call to make on misfiring wing James Lowe.
New Zealand-born Lowe has started every Ireland game he has been available for since qualifying under residency rules in the autumn but is yet to convince at Test level and was at fault for Scotland’s first two tries.
“We’ll sit down with James and obviously there are others as well that we need to sit down with and keep educating them regarding what international football is all about,” said Farrell.
“There are guys that are in there that are very young as far as their experience is concerned but for anyone to experience a win at Murrayfield is something to be proud of and I’m sure they’ll look back on.
“As far as progressing James’ game, we’ll help him like we’ll help everyone else as well.”
Click on the image below to sign up for Super Rugby Aotearoa on RugbyPass: 
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks 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?
4 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.
4 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.
26 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 🤐
13 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….
26 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….
13 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….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to comments