'They were showing all the young 10s in Ireland clips of him' - Johnny Sexton joins Dan Carter for wide-ranging interview
All Blacks legend Dan Carter says he sees lots of similarities in the way he and Johnny Sexton play the game. Ireland out-half Sexton was the latest guest on Carter’s Kickin’ It interview series on Instagram As well as discussing highlights from their careers, the two out-halves spoke about the similarities in how they both approach playing at 10.
“I think there are a lot of similarities to be honest,” Carter said.
“We love to control the game, so some of our specialities or parts of the game that are similar is that game management. We see space.
“We probably get just as much satisfaction setting up others players as we do potentially scoring tries ourself, even though the two of us don’t score that many. So that’s always quite nice.
“But I think game management and controlling the players (is similar). I mean, I look at the way Johnny plays, he’s always creating or demanding from the people around him. You can see him leading, and he tells what he wants from the players around him.
“And that was a big focus for me, probably more in the later stages of my career, because I’d just get away with natural talent (in the early stages), but then over time it was like, OK, now I’ve got to try and push the guys around me to help me and to help the team. So that sort of game management, controlling the game, for the two of us is very similar.”
While Sexton was reluctant to compare himself with the three-time World Player of the Year, he explained how he has been one of the key influences on his career.
“I don’t really want to compare myself to Dan Carter,” Sexton said.
“I will say that I’ve tried to watch Dan over the years. He’s not that much older than me, but he hit the skin a lot earlier than me.
“I remember watching his big break-through in 2005 against the Lions. I think I was just leaving school, and straight away tried to rob parts of his game and bring them into my own.
“I remember analysts showing all the young 10s in Ireland different clips of him, and when I talk about the greatest out-halves he’s obviously top of the tree.
“I used to really admire Jonny Wilkinson as well and try and take bits of his game, and Dan’s good friend Ronan O’Gara was the Irish out-half when I was growing up.
What a year it's been for Sarries. https://t.co/Yv3e6DoJ7e
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“So I tried to always look at out-halves and take bits of their game and try and improve really. That was always something that I had in mind, and he was definitely at the fore-front of that.”
Despite his vast experience in the game, Sexton, 34, said he is still learning from fellow out-halves.
“I still definitely look at 10s, because often 10s come on the scene and they change the game in certain ways, or they do something where you think ‘OK, that’s a little bit special, I need to try and do that.’
More bad news coming out of Rugby Australia today.https://t.co/6J1eKpjCcK
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“But like some parts of my game, I couldn’t (change)… If I look at someone like Beauden Barrett, I can’t make myself unbelievably fast and score as many tries as he does. So that would just be silly. I’d break myself if I went out and tried to run quick.
“So it’s trying to be realistic and taking bits of people’s games that I admire and that I think would help me and the team.
“I’ve been lucky to learn from some great 10s. Felipe (Contepomi), I’m still leaning from him and I worked with ROG at Racing. He didn’t give me too many words of wisdom because he probably still felt like he was competing with me at the time. We probably were competing in training sessions, he was still joining in at that stage.
“But I’ve always tried to learn, and I’m still in that bracket. I still feel like one of the young guys so I want to keep trying to learn all the time.”
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments