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25th February 2018
02:43pm GMT
Credit: TV3[/caption]
The connection was poor and the ball skewed right before clanging off the posts.
By the 14th minute, Sexton had missed two more attempts at the posts. One was from the touchline, after his superb pass to Jacob Stockdale, but the other was simple and another poor miss. The home crowd sensed something was off.
The 32-year-old was carrying a knock into the game. It could have been that his back was causing him to stiffen up or, as has happened in the past, caused tightness in his hamstrings. There was also the matter of his right foot being heavily wrapped and iced after the Italy game:
No matter, Sexton put his kicking jitters to one side and had a superb game otherwise. His passing and kicking out of hand was on the money and he was extremely physical - flattening Gateh Davies and Steff Evans and putting it up to the likes of forwards Aaron Shingler and Ross Moriarty.
By the time Sexton left the pitch, with five minutes to go, he had kicked two conversions and a penalty. He had missed four other attempts and chose to run another penalty instead of going for three points.
He was still on the pitch in the 74th minute when Jack McGrath won Ireland a penalty 32 metres from the posts. With Ireland needing the score to go 10 clear, word came from the sideline that Sexton would not be taking it. The outhalf was nowhere near the conversation about what to do with the penalty.
McFadden stepped forward to offer his services but Murray had already told on-field captain CJ Stander that he fancied it. As Murray prepared to take his kick, McFadden received a call from the touchline and informed the Irish coaching team Murray was stepping up.
That he did and, via a kiss off the post, Murray put Ireland 30-20 ahead. With the game looking safe, with four minutes left, Sexton's shift was finally over and Joey Carbery came on. He did not have much to do but kick an injury time conversion and celebrate at the final whistle.
Three times in Ireland's post-match press conference, Schmidt was asked about Sexton - his fitness, kicking and decision to run rather than kick that penalty in the final 10 minutes.
SEXTON INJURED? "Johnny just got a dead glute. He copped a knee in the backside really. He could have stayed on and played on but we've got a lot of confidence in Joey Carbery." WHY DID MURRAY TAKE THE FINAL PENALTY? "Unfortunately, his goal-kicking wasn’t what it normally is but to coin a golf analogy – you can be super off the tee and your short irons can be great but he didn’t quite have the putting game that he normally does." WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF SEXTON RUNNING THAT PENALTY? "I back him 10o%. He felt that they could score and we can’t get too much closer than what we did without scoring. At the time or in retrospect, he might look to kick that goal as Conor did toward the end to give that 10-point margin and take a bit of pressure off. "But it was something he had said at half-time, he said that when we were getting penalties, they were turning their back, so let’s all be ready. To be honest, I love that about Johnny. He’s always looking for opportunity and I’m pretty sure the crowd enjoyed it because I heard a hell of a yell when he tapped it. "[I'm] not sure I was yelling with the crowd, but it’s great that he seizes the moment that he does."The fact of the matter is, Sexton entered the game less than 100% and that affected his kicking game, but the Ireland coach was never going to give that one up. He spoke at length about Sexton while giving absolutely nothing away.
As for having confidence in Carbery, we're not sure that altogether stacks up. Not yet, at least.
Carbery was not entrusted with coming on ahead of that kick and only got the final four minutes after Ireland had one 10 clear. He may have got 25 minutes against Italy but Ireland already had the bonus point by then. He was left in reserve in Paris but that turned out to be wise as Sexton landed the last-gaspr drop goal.
"We just felt that we want to keep growing the group and it was a good opportunity for Joey," said Schmidt of his 76th minute switch.
"In his Test debut, he came on with 20 to go against the All Blacks and guided us home, so we felt that he was well enough placed to go and control that last five minutes."
As it transpired, Carbery did not get his hands on the ball once but did stick the only tackle he was required to make.
Schmidt spoke of giving Sexton a rest from Tuesday's training session at Lansdowne Road. He can have next Tuesday off too, if he likes, as long as his body is in better shape by March 10 and the visit of Scotland.Explore more on these topics:
