Sexton settles some scores, with even Schmidt in the line of fire
Johnny Sexton used the Triple Crown success as the platform to fire back at detractors who had written off the Ireland team under Andy Farrell in the not so distant past. Former defence coach Farrell endured a difficult baptism as head coach after taking on the role at the start of the 2020 Six Nations.
Ireland were only marginally above breakeven after Farrell’s initial eleven matches in charge, six wins and five defeats in a sequence that culminated in the loss of the first two games of the 2021 Six Nations. It was the first time the Irish had fired successive blanks at the start of the tournament since 1998 and it sparked much criticism, especially with regards to their blunt attack.
However, they have since enjoyed a huge upturn in fortunes, Ireland winning twelve of their 13 games since then – nine on the bounce before the February setback in Paris – and skipper Sexton sounded more than pleased that they now have a Triple Crown to show for their recent efforts.
“It’s a very tight bunch,” he enthused when asked about the mood now that Ireland have some silverware to show following their 26-5 win over Scotland. “We have come from so low times.
“You have got to remember only a couple of years ago we were being written off and the coaches were written off, the captain was being written off, the team was being written off. It’s a pretty fickle sport, isn’t it? We will keep our feet grounded because we know how fickle it is but like I said, I am just proud of this, to be part of this group. It’s a very special atmosphere.”
Sexton even carried on to poke one in the eye of Joe Schmidt, the Ireland boss before Farrell ascended to the throne. Two World Cup quarter-finals were lost on Schmidt’s watch, while Sexton was also involved in the 2011 last-eight mishap in New Zealand against Wales.
The potential looks now to be there, though, to finally shatter that ceiling and reach the last four of next year’s World Cup in France – and the veteran out-half is especially delighted that people in the Ireland squad are actively talking about achieving that target at that tournament rather than avoiding addressing it.
“We have got great potential,” reckoned Sexton, who will be 38 by the time the finals kick off in September 2023. “That is what we have got at the moment and we have got to make it a reality. We have got to keep building over the next 18 months to make sure when it does come around.
“We have taken a slightly different approach, we have started talking about it already, that this is the journey which is a different approach to previous management that I have worked under which I think is the right way to do it and we are confident in the journey that we are on. At the moment it is only an opportunity – we need to keep developing.
“We had some young guys in during the week that were incredibly impressive. We have some young guys in the last year who have been incredibly impressive and we need to bring them up to speed to make sure they are ready in 18 months’ time and we get a few bolters, guys that can make a huge difference. That is what we will need over the next 18 months, we need to make the squad stronger and better.”
Sexton revealed he hadn’t been as nervous in years as he was this weekend against Scotland. “I don’t think I have been as nervous for a game for a long time… It’s because this team means so much to me. To have something to show for all our hard work the last eight weeks it’s an incredible environment and it was more for the squad I was nervous.
“I wanted us to play our best and we didn’t quite get there but we played pretty well at times. The most important thing was we showed guts, we showed everyone in the stadium what it means for us to play for Ireland.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Morning, John. Do you think that it may be a good idea to rest both teams from the Madrid comp leading in to the Olympics
2 Go to comments« I am preparing myself for much more, something much bigger. I’m focussing on the next cycle, » You don’t say…
1 Go to commentsGeez plenty of time to come right before test season starts. Dont panic mr Mannering!!!!!
1 Go to commentsGreat read Nick. The Reds really have been great to watch this year, and the improvement of not only the players you mention, but the squad in general has been obvious. The Reds 10/12 play making axis is a nice counterpoint to the 10/15 partnership at the Brumbies and Rebels. If Schmidt was to pick say, Lolesio, Paisami and Wright / Kellaway, would this be too many play makers? I notice in a lot of those clips Tim Ryan playing across the field in support of Vunivalu. Is this a feature of Kiss’s structure?
2 Go to commentsSo sad, god rest him. Too young to be gone. RIP
2 Go to commentsRIP big man 🙏
2 Go to commentsThe GB coach. “Just because we don’t get together as much as other teams we don’t use that as an excuse for performances when we don’t hit the mark”. Why mention it at all then?
1 Go to commentsNo mention of the yellow card for Harlequins which really cost them.
3 Go to commentsThought 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?
2 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.
3 Go to commentsLooks like the Force twisted his leg…ahem arm
6 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 😀👍
3 Go to commentsShamefully the Toulouse players acted like footballers, falling down feigning injury at the slightest knock. About time refs penalised this play acting.
8 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.
3 Go to commentsYeah nah he comes across as a funny bloke, but that stopped abruptly after the Nutcracker Prince debacle✋
3 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.
6 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.
2 Go to comments