Sexton: Alun Wyn Jones puts 'pressure on the refs'
Ireland captain Johnny Sexton believes Wales counterpart Alun Wyn Jones “is a great example” of a player who is able to put pressure on referees.
The experienced duo are set to go head to head when their teams meet for a compelling Guinness Six Nations clash in Dublin.
Fly-half Sexton replaced retired hooker Rory Best as Ireland skipper ahead of the tournament and was frustrated his team were on the receiving end of some puzzling penalty calls from French referee Mathieu Raynal during the opening-weekend win over Scotland.
The 34-year-old is keen to avoid a repeat and pointed to Welsh lock Wyn Jones as a prime example of someone who has the personality to pressurise match officials into reviewing decisions.
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WATCH: Andy Farrell and Jonathan Sexton spoke to the press following Ireland’s 19-12 win over Scotland at the Aviva Stadium.
“There were a few things I would like to do different in and around some of the decisions that went against us, that I could have done a little bit better,” said Sexton.
“How I can get him (the referee) to maybe look at it is an area that I maybe need to improve but we had a good relationship throughout.
“He listened to me, I listened to him, and we worked together. But, yeah, there were a few (questionable) decisions there – I think Scotland said the same thing.
“Some of the best captains I ever watched growing up, they seemed to put the pressure on the refs quite well, and Alun Wyn Jones is a great example.
“He has that balance right, he has a good relationship with them but he’s able to apply pressure at times and sometimes get them to check things.
“It is a bit of a skill and he’s obviously done it (been a captain) for a lot longer.”
While Sexton scored all of his team’s points during the 19-12 success over the Scots, Wyn Jones led the reigning Grand Slam champions to an emphatic bonus-point triumph over Italy on his 135th international appearance.
Saturday’s fixture, which could have a major bearing on the destination of this year’s title, will feature another French official, Romain Poite.
Sexton has sought advice from former Ireland captains about how to conduct himself and received a thought-provoking anecdote from ex-British and Irish Lions lock Paul O’Connell involving Poite and the possibility of appearing overly aggressive.
“I spoke to Paulie and there was one time he was playing against the Ospreys and Romain Poite was the ref and he took his gumshield out and he had no teeth in and he spits through his teeth – Paulie looks angry at the best of times, even when he’s happy – and he was just standing over Romain Poite,” said Sexton.
The @johnbarc86 column:
The loathed 'Valiant Losers' tag ?
The welcome ill-feeling betwixt England/Scotland ?
What he texted Hogg after THAT drop ?#SixNations #SCOvENG https://t.co/736yr3fW0X— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 5, 2020
“What he was saying was probably perfectly acceptable but the way it looked, or the way Romain felt, maybe was not quite right.
“Everyone makes mistakes in different parts of their game or leadership and I’ve made plenty of the years but I like to think I’ve learnt some good lessons.”
Wales completed last year’s tournament clean sweep with a convincing 25-7 victory over Ireland on a rain-soaked evening in Cardiff.
The memory of that result, which ended Ireland’s hopes of retaining the Six Nations title after they had refused permission for the Principality Stadium roof to be closed, still stings Sexton.
Testing weather conditions are again forecast this weekend and the Leinster man hopes his team can whip up the home crowd with an improved performance after being disappointed with the atmosphere at the Aviva Stadium against Scotland.
“It was flat. I actually said that to the lads when we were coming in after the warm-up,” he said.
“I just felt that we needed to start well to get the crowd into it and we didn’t really do that.
“The level of our performance needs to go up this week.
“If we’re going to win, we need to be a lot better in all areas and we’re preparing to be that, hopefully.”
PA
Comments on RugbyPass
Don’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to comments