Sexton concedes it makes sense for Carbery to start against Italy
Captain Johnny Sexton accepts it “makes sense” for Joey Carbery to retain Ireland’s fly-half role for Sunday’s clash with Italy, according to head coach Andy Farrell.
Veteran Sexton was pushing for an international recall after overcoming the minor hamstring issue which kept him of his country’s 30-24 Guinness Six Nations defeat in France.
But the 36-year-old has to be content with a place on the bench, with Farrell eager to give Munster player Carbery another chance to build on his solid performance in Paris.
“Back-to-back Test matches is a great experience for anybody really, especially somebody in a pivotal position like fly-half,” said Farrell.
“Joey handled the occasion very well last week. He stepped in very late in regard that Johnny got injured on the last full training day of the week and he obviously didn’t get the full week to prepare to run the side.
“He gets that opportunity this week on the back of a good performance.
“After analysing the performance, Joey would admit to you himself that he would love the opportunity to put a few things right and add to that performance and add to his experience at this level.
“It just makes sense and the person that agrees with that is Johnny. He’s the captain of the side, he wants what’s right for the team.”
Sexton has made just one substitute appearance for Ireland in the past 10 years – coming on for Carbery in the opening Test of the 2018 tour of Australia.
Farrell has opted for six personnel changes to his starting XV – two of which are enforced – following the loss in Stade de France as the Irish attempt to get their championship title challenge back on track.
James Lowe, Robbie Henshaw, Dan Sheehan, Ryan Baird and Peter O’Mahony all come in, while there is an international debut for Ulster full-back Michael Lowry.
Fleet-footed Lowry trained with Ireland last summer and has starred for his province in the United Rugby Championship and Heineken Champions Cup.
“Regarding Michael Lowry, we’re all excited to see him get his chance,” said Farrell. “He deserves it.
“He’s shown – not just the coaching staff, but the rest of his peers – that he’s ready to play.
“He’s comfortable in his own skin.
“He’s able to be himself under extreme pressure and it’s tough for someone to come into camp, especially when you’ve not got a cap or you are new to the group, to understand how we play, to pick up the new calls, to learn all the intricacies within the group, within the back three.
“And he’s unbelievably thorough in his preparation. We believe he’s ready.”
Hooker Sheehan and lock Baird make maiden Six Nations starts due to the injury absences of fellow Leinster players Ronan Kelleher and James Ryan.
With Sexton among the replacements and vice-captain Ryan out with an adductor issue, recalled flanker O’Mahony will captain the side.
Bundee Aki and Andrew Conway are rested in order to overcome niggles, while Iain Henderson, who is yet to start a game in this year’s tournament, following injury, is unavailable due to coronavirus.
Hugo Keenan is also given a break, affording uncapped Lowry his opportunity. Jack Conan is the other man to drop out, joining Sexton on a bench completed by Rob Herring, Dave Kilcoyne, Finlay Bealham, Kieran Treadwell, Craig Casey and James Hume.
Comments on RugbyPass
We’re building a bridge but can't agree where the river is.
2 Go to commentsfirst no arms shoulder or helmet tackle into his rib cage is going to be so very painful even to watch. go back to RU mate.
1 Go to commentsBulls by 5. Plus another 50.
3 Go to commentsJohan Goosen avatar. Cute. Surely someone at RP knows how to do a google image search?
3 Go to commentsCan’t these games play a little earlier? Asking for a friend.
3 Go to commentsIt’s impressive that we can see huge stadiums with attendance in the 40 000 to 50 000 region. It shows how popular this competition is becoming. What is even more impressive is the massive growth in broadcast viewership. The URC is one of the two best leagues in the World, the other being the Top14.
7 Go to commentsChristie is not Sottish, like the majority of the Scotland team.
2 Go to commentsHold the phone, decline over-rated. Is it a one game, dead cat bounce or the real thing? Has the Penney dropped? Stay tuned.
45 Go to commentsTotally deserved win for the Crusaders Far smarter than the Chiefs who seem to be avoiding the basics when it matters Hotham showed them what was missing and Hannah seems a real find - a tad light but that can be fixed over time
8 Go to commentsGreat insight into the performance culture with Sarries and I predict Christie will be a fixture in the Scotland team now for some time to come. However, he is slightly missing his own point around Scotland “being soft” when he cites physicality examples in defence of that slight. The issue is much closer to the example he referenced around feeling off before a game but being told “it doesn’t matter, you can still play well” by Farrell. Until Scotland can get their psyche in that square, they will carry on folding under extreme pressure…
2 Go to comments> We are having to adapt, evolve and innovate more than when we were in Super Rugby where there was only really one style that everybody had to play to gain the most success. Have = able to? Interesting what that one style might be? I thought SA sides still had bad tours now, or at least bad schedule, months away? Those extra few hours flights have to be a killer though, no surprise to see their sides doing so badly at the start of the season each year. I wouldn’t enjoy that unfairness as a supporter.
7 Go to commentsThe problem for NZ, and Aus, is they ripped up the SR model and lost a massive chunk of revenue that hasn’t been replaced. Don’t forget SA clubs went North because they were left with no choice, Argy unceremoniously binned and Japan cast adrift. Now SR wasn’t perfect, far from it, but they’ve jumped into something without an effective plan, so far, to replace what they’ve lost. The biggest revenue potential now lies in Japan but it won’t be easy or quick to unlock, they are incredibly insular in culture as a nation. In the meantime, there is a serious time bomb sitting under SH rugby and if it happens then the current financial challenges will look like a picnic. IF the Boks follow their provincial teams and head north then it’s revenue meltdown. Not guaranteed to happen but the status quo is a very odd hybrid, with the Boks pointing one way and the clubs pointing the other way. And for as long as that remains then the threat is real.
45 Go to commentsI think Etene has had some good tuition, likely while at the Warriors to be a professional that helped his rugby jump, but he was certainly thrown in the deep end way too early. Should have arguably 20 less SR caps, and therefor a way better record that he does at his age, but his development would have been fast tracked by the need to satiate his signing away from league. Again, credit to him and others that he has done it so well. Easy to fall over under that pressure in the big leagues like that but he kept at it when I myself wasn’t sure he was good enough.
1 Go to commentsAwesome story. I wonder what a bigger American (SA) scene might have mean for Brex.
1 Go to comments“Johnny McNicholl and the Crusaders” save a Penney. Who has been in camp this week and showed them how to play?
8 Go to commentsSo, reports of the Crusaders’ demise / terminal decline are perhaps just - slightly - premature/exaggerated…? 🤔 Will we see a deep-dive into that by the estimable Rugbypass scribes, and maybe one or two mea culpas? Thought not.
8 Go to comments1. The Chiefs are rudderless without DMac, which enhances his AB chances 2. Chiefs pack are powderpuffs. The hard men arent there anymore 3. They had their golden title chance last yr and wont threaten this yr. Gone in second round of playoffs.
8 Go to commentsHonestly, why did you have to publish such a foolish article the day they play us? 😂
45 Go to comments> They are not standalone entities. They are linked to an amateur association which holds the FFR licence that allows the professional side to compete in the league. That’s a great rule. This looks like the chicken or egg professional scenario. How long is it going to be before the club can break even (if that is even a thing in French rugby)? If the locals aren’t into well it would be good to se them drop to amateur level (is it that far?). Hope they can reset from this level and be more practical, there will be a time when they can rebuild (if France has there setup right).
1 Go to commentsWhat about changing the ball? To something heavier and more pointed that bounces unpredictably. Not this almost round football used these days.
35 Go to comments