APPEAL IS USELESS
JOHNNY SEXTON won’t be stopped mixing it up in heavy Test traffic – even if his coaches would prefer him to avoid the rougher stuff.
Sexton remains crucial to Ireland’s hopes not only of championship and Grand Slam success this month, but of making a World Cup semi-final for the first time next year.
Now 32, the world-class No10 still loves to muck in when the team needs him – as he illustrated in the last game, the 37-27 win against Wales.
And Joe Schmidt reckons suggesting otherwise to the Dubliner would be met with a short answer.
“You cannot say that to Johnny,” smiled the Ireland boss. “I don’t know how well you know him but he’s so competitive.
“He wants to compete for everything. That tackle on (Ross) Moriarty – Moriarty is a super player, an incredibly powerful ball carrier but it didn’t stop Johnny flying in and making a good tackle.
“Do I wish he was more judicious? Sometimes I do.
“I remember sitting in the coaches box with Jono Gibbes at one stage (with Leinster), and Jono saying, ‘Would you ever get Johnny to stay out of that stuff, leave it to my boys? We’ll look after that’.
“But he’s a competitor. The other players love that about him, because it gives him licence to lead.
“When you put your own hand up, it’s pretty easy to lead others and he does a super job of it.
“Yeah, it’s probably one of those 50/50 things. He competitor he is.”
Schmidt totally dismissed the notion that Sexton could be judged for selection on missed kicks at goal after the Dubliner missed four such efforts against the Welsh.
The Kiwi says Sexton is always “chipping in” and making things happen, highlighting that thrilling pass to Jacob Stockdale for Ireland’s first try a fortnight ago.
“I don’t think you’d see a better pass in world rugby.
“It was incredibly flat, it went across two channels and I think Leigh Halfpenny didn’t think he (Sexton) could throw it.
“It goes straight across to Jacob who’s untouched going over.”
Schmidt says he is “super-confident” that Sexton’s kicking malaise will be fixed against Scotland tomorrow.
“He’s a world-class kicker,” said the 54-year-old.
“I’d have no hesitation in Johnny making any decision about any kick he is going to have.
“It can happen on any given day but the real class kickers like Leigh Halfpenny and Johnny Sexton, that happens once in a blue moon – and you don’t get blue moons all the time. “You do get snow in March, but you don’t get
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