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Ireland skipper Johnny Sexton hints he might not be around for World Cup 2023
Ireland captain Johnny Sexton believes Andy Farrell’s coaching team have done a “fantastic job” and is convinced the team will reap long-term benefits following their worst start to a Guinness Six Nations campaign. Defeat to tournament favourites France on February 14 effectively ended Irish title hopes just two games into the championship.
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Fly-half Sexton admits parts of the Ireland performance in the 15-13 reverse against Les Bleus fell short of international standard. Yet the 35-year-old, who sat out that game due to a head injury suffered in the opening weekend loss in Wales but is fit to return against Italy on Saturday, remains optimistic for the future under head coach Farrell.
“Very early on in the French game there were a few chances that we needed to shift the ball and there were other times when we shifted it well into space and then the space closed up and we should have put it in behind,” said Ireland skipper Sexton.
“There are lots of examples that we have gone through as a team and said that it wasn’t good enough for international standard. Despite all of those things, we still came within a penalty away from winning the game and there were a few penalties in that last phase of play that we could have got in terms of offsides and stuff like that. That’s the frustrating thing.
“The things we can control is being better at seeing the space and when we do create the opportunities that we make the most of them and are clinical. It will be the same against Italy. The coaches have come in, they have done a fantastic job.
Mike Catt also responded to criticism of Ireland's attack. https://t.co/IlD5DpUrvq
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 22, 2021
“It’s very different to what it was before but we will be better for this going forward, of that I am convinced. If we talk about World Cup cycles – I might not be part of the full cycle – this group will definitely be better for this type of coaching and structures.”
Sexton was among a string of influential absentees for France’s visit to Dublin. With Caelan Doris and Jacob Stockdale sidelined from the start of the tournament, vice-captain James Ryan and scrum-half Conor Murray also missed out due to injury, while Peter O’Mahony was suspended following his red card at the Principality Stadium.
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Speaking about his physical condition ahead of the trip to Rome, Sexton said: “I am good to go. I am available for selection. I was very disappointed to miss out on the French game. It was a game I really wanted to play in but I just didn’t quite get there, didn’t hit the return to play protocol markers, so I had to wait a little bit longer. I trained fully last week and fully this week, so good to go.”
Despite hinting he may not be around for the 2023 World Cup, Sexton said his plans to play in the tournament had not changed. He also revealed he is close to agreeing to a contract extension to continue playing for Leinster. “I have always been in the same position. I absolutely love what I do, I am very privileged to do it and I am still loving it, and I will keep playing for now – that has never changed,” he said.
“I have spoken about admiration for athletes that have stayed at the top of their game for a long time but you have got to be careful with what I said or what someone else said because it can get lost a bit. For the moment, I am still motivated – I hope my teammates and coaches see how motivated I am to train well every day and keep going.
“At the moment, I am contracted for this season and nearly contracted for next season. Hopefully, I will stay. We’ll see what happens.”
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No surprises from the Ireland head coach.https://t.co/Zx39VxPFBr
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 22, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Always reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
1 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
4 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
4 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
4 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
4 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
7 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
4 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
7 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to comments