Johnny Sexton provides fitness update as Ireland prepare for Six Nations restart
Johnny Sexton feels a greater responsibility to perform against Italy this weekend as strict coronavirus rules may mean the whole of Ireland is watching. Fly-half Sexton has declared himself fit and ready for the resumption of the Guinness Six Nations following a hamstring complaint.
Saturday’s game in Dublin will be played at the end of a week in which the Irish government will move the country to the highest level of Covid-19 restrictions, broadly similar to the spring lockdown.
Team skipper Sexton admits his Ireland team are mindful of the situation and determined to provide a morale boost for those stuck at home. “It’s not so much putting on a show but more you feel a bigger responsibility with the restrictions that have come in now and the country has gone back to level five,” he said.
“There’s obviously a sense that the whole country will be watching us. Most of the time we’re very lucky that we are always being looked at but I suppose it’s an even bigger responsibility. I suppose Italy are going to be in the same boat as us. Both teams will be very motivated.
“Any time you play for Ireland it’s a big responsibility,” Sexton continued. “But there’s a little bit of extra onus on us this week. Putting on a show isn’t something we have spoken about but putting in a good performance is something we are very conscious of and want to do. We need to win the game first and foremost.”
James Lowe is expected to make his Ireland debut next month. ??https://t.co/tPFP4LnChh
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 19, 2020
Having joined up with the national team carrying a niggle, 35-year-old Sexton is confident he will be involved at the Aviva Stadium. “I trained fully on Saturday – was sort of being managed a little bit on Saturday – and then trained fully today [Tuesday]. I feel good, thankfully. I did some good work over the last couple of weeks so I will hopefully be able to hit the ground running on Saturday.”
The original Six Nations fixture between Ireland and Italy was among the first major sporting events to be postponed when the global pandemic took hold early this year. After starting the competition with successive home victories over Scotland and Wales, Andy Farrell’s side have had plenty of time to stew on defeat to England at Twickenham before the enforced break.
The Irish are currently four points behind joint leaders England and France, albeit with a game in hand over their title rivals. Sexton said there have been major changes behind the scenes but he insisted the players felt “privileged” to be back at work.
“It’s world’s apart, everything is different. We’re living together essentially in the same bubble but we still have to maintain social distancing at dinner. We’re only (allowed) three at a table, you’re queuing two metres apart, all the restrictions that apply outside essentially are applying to us.
“It’s not like normal camp but it’s the new normal now. We’ve had a good few days together and we’re slowly getting used to it. We’re very lucky and privileged to be able to do what we love to do, which is get a chance to represent Ireland and be together. We’re the lucky ones.
“There were fears that if the country went to level five would we be able to play at all so we’re very grateful for the chance to be able to continue.”
"The environment couldn’t be better set-up to avoid spread. Let’s hope it works out. Please God, we’ll get lucky"
– @IanCostello1 tells @heagneyl why virus outbreak is just another little challenge in the incredible @WaspsRugby @premrugby campaign ????https://t.co/wbPUbKQRiV
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 18, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould'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.
30 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.
30 Go to comments