Naturally enough if your calendar year features 10/11 Tests then you’re not going to flog the same players in every game, but neither do you feature fellas whom you hope – at some point in the future – might look the part. Otherwise known as, the World Cup cycle. Post RWC 1999, and the shock to the system in Lens, Irish rugby have been fundamentalists on this front. It hasn’t worked.
Still, folks bang on about France 2023 as if it should be our guiding light. So they look at Johnny Sexton’s age profile and conclude it doesn’t make sense to keep picking him when he’ll have a bus pass by then. It makes sense to keep picking him if he’s the best man for the next job. The moment he stops getting that nod is the moment you leave him out. That moment is now.
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Papali’i handed latest chance to prove his worth as Connacht look to find clinical edge
Andy Friend’s team are looking to get back to winning ways against Dragons following back-to-back defeats. By Ciarán Kennedy Friday 5 Feb 2021, 6:30 AM Feb 5th 2021, 6:30 AM 6,452 Views 5 Comments
Connacht s Abraham Papali’i.
Image: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO
Image: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO
THIS WAS ALWAYS the danger. Speaking in the minutes after Connacht beat Leinster at the turn of the year, captain Quinn Roux pointed out the province have previously produced big results and then failed to back them up.
The margins have been small. Against Munster they were let down by poor decision making as the clock wound down. The Ospreys trailed 17-5 at half-time in the Sportsground. On both occasions, Connacht lost by six points.
Updated / Saturday, 30 Jan 2021
16:42 There will be a lot of unhappy people if we don t take at least one of those big scalps at home
Former Ireland hooker Shane Byrne says that further pressure could come on Andy Farrell if his side fail to register a victory in either one of their home Six Nations games against England or France.
Farrell s second tilt at the spring tournament commences in eight days time, with Ireland opening their campaign in Cardiff against Wayne Pivac s struggling Wales outfit.
Ireland enter the season off the back of an indifferent 2020, in which they won all six home games but lost their three away games over the course of the virus interrupted calendar year.
Who is Jonathan Sexton’s heir apparent? A Set the default text size A Set large text size
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Jonathan Sexton. No name has been more synonymous with Irish rugby over the last ten years.
There have been incredible milestones. Sexton has played over 100 Test matches, 95 times for Ireland and six times for the British and Irish Lions.
There have been the highs: a win over the All Blacks in Chicago in 2016 and a grand slam with Ireland in 2018. Share
Sexton was named World Rugby player of the year in 2018 as well, just the second Irishman to be accorded that honour.