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Johnny Sexton believes Ireland have a 'great system in place'
Amid all the talks of player fatigue among England’s Six Nations fadeout, Ireland’s flyhalf Johnny Sexton believes Ireland has a great system in place for player welfare and success.
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Of the back of Ireland’s successful Grand Slam Six Nations campaign, Sexton and several other Leinster based players were rested last weekend in their side’s loss to Ospreys. The extra break will help them freshen up for this weekend’s blockbuster Champions Cup quarter-final against Saracens at the Aviva, expected to be played in front of 50,000.
“I think we’ve got a great system here,” Sexton told the Telegraph.
“I’ve been on the other side of the fence [with Racing 92 in France’s Top 14] and it can be tough when you are trying to do your best for club and country because you’re never going to say no. I remember playing for Racing in the middle of a Six Nations when we were going for a Grand Slam and I had to go and play a game in between those international games. In an ideal world, you don’t have to play those games. Where we really get looked after is during pre-season and leading up to World Cups and stuff. We are very well looked after.”
The concerns over player burnout have been a hot topic of late in English rugby after their worst finish in a Six Nations campaign, sparking a debate over player fatigue. The RFU indicated they wouldn’t be able to look at a centrally contracted system until after 2024. New Zealand-born Wasps midfielder Jimmy Gopperth claimed players are ‘mentally fresher’ under central contracts.
All but four injured players of England’s team that played Ireland were back playing in the Premiership last weekend. Sexton is looking forward to the challenge against Saracens, saying there is no better time to face the back-to-back European champions.
“If you want to win the European Cup again you are going to have to beat Saracens at some stage so there is no better time than to get them at home in the quarter-final.
“It is going to be a huge challenge. I don’t think they will have any fear based on what they achieved last year. The back-to-back champions that they are is a big thing. We know that. They have had a challenging season but they have still got themselves into second in the Premiership and they have still got themselves into a quarter-final in Europe.
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“They know if they beat us, they get a home semi-final as well.
Comments on RugbyPass
Thought you’d left us Nick. Good to have you back writing for us. So hunter ikitau works? I reckon wright kellaway as two of the back 3. Tim Ryan and Toole looking good for strike winger but I still want the power of korobeiti and figure our forwards still need him to help them out. Million dollar question is who plays 10? I’m thinking Noah for his kicking and combo with wright. Reckon the pair adds up to an attack and kellaway will help. Can you comment on Zac Lucas in Japan? How is he going?
1 Go to commentsMack Hansen, Ethan Roots, Taine Plumbtree, Louis Lynagh, Emmanuel Meafou? Which country do you want to pick your Barbarians from?
3 Go to commentsInstead of apologising, try to act like an adult, fcknut.
2 Go to commentsLooks like the Force twisted his leg…ahem arm
5 Go to commentsScotland should change their name to the Barbarians
3 Go to commentsThe game was already over leave the bloke alone ….from a Welsh fan 😀👍
2 Go to commentsShamefully the Toulouse players acted like footballers, falling down feigning injury at the slightest knock. About time refs penalised this play acting.
7 Go to commentsAnother non Scot for the anti Scot Townsend. Soon there will be no Scottish born and bred players in the National team.
3 Go to commentsGreat comeback to the playing field by Richie Mo’unga after the loss of his father. A great performance by Richie . I know him well and he is a great guy. On and off the field one of the greatest for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson would have loved him in his All Black’s side. A very missed player and person.
2 Go to commentsYeah nah he comes across as a funny bloke, but that stopped abruptly after the Nutcracker Prince debacle✋
2 Go to commentsAt this point I can’t watch him without thinking he’s a dirty slimebag. He should have been banned for the same amount of time that Quinn was out. It took Tupaea near on a fricking year to get fit enough to play again and his leg will never be the same. The other crap thing is that he was at ABs level and now he has to claw his way back there when he could have had several games under his belt.
5 Go to commentsThe Black Ferns 7’s have been without Captain Sarah Hirini now since Dec 23 in Dubai where she suffered a bad ACL injury - hopefully she is on the road to recovery for Madrid and Paris. Now also have Tyler King and Shiray kaka on the Injured List but the Team still found a way to win in Singapore and claim the overall Title.
1 Go to commentsUtter grub, hope he gets his leg broken. Shocking he is still playing after intentionally breaking quinn tupaeas knee
5 Go to commentsGreat to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
5 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
16 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
16 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
16 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
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