Better to come, insists Laidlaw

Laidlaw tips playmaker to respond after poor start

Scotland scrum-half Greig Laidlaw insists there is better to come from the British and Irish Lions and Irish stand-off Jonny Sexton after a disappointing start to the rugby tour of New Zealand.

The Lions won their opening game 13-7 against the Provincial Barbarians just three days after arriving in the southern hemisphere, but failed to impress in Whangerei.

Sexton came in for particular criticism after an error-strewn performance saw him replaced early in the second half.

Laidlaw, though, is confident his squadmate will prove his ‘world class’ abilities as the tour progresses.

Johnny Sexton will prove his “worldclass” abilities all over again in New Zealand after a tough opening with the British and Irish Lions, according to Greig Laidlaw.

Sexton fluffed his lines in his worst performance in some time as the Lions laboured to a 13-7 win over the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians on Saturday.

The Ireland playmaker must surely have ceded ground in the race for the Lions’ Test 10 shirt, especially as Owen Farrell replaced him in Whangarei and dragged the lacklustre tourists to a slender victory.

Scotland scrum-half Laidlaw insisted, however, that Sexton can still turn his poor start on its head and restore his much-vaunted reputation.

“We know the class of Johnny, he is a world-class player,” said Laidlaw.

“For nines and 10s, we probably have the hardest job trying to organise everything around us and concentrate on our own game.

“It’s always a little bit tougher and when the heat is on everyone is looking to you to make the calls.

“Johnny will be back up and running next time he pulls on the jersey.

“The more you play together, the more he would know what I was going to do, just building the relationship. It’s about making sure you do that by practising hard in training.”

Maintenance engineer Sam Anderson-Heather’s try put the Barbarians 7-3 up at half-time in Whangarei, but the Lions squeaked home thanks to Anthony Watson’s late score.

The Lions will now face the Blues on Wednesday in Auckland, as the New Zealand tour cranks through the levels, but Laidlaw has insisted Warren Gatland’s side can quickly hit their stride after a poor start.

“I am absolutely delighted and very honoured to have worn the jersey,” said Laidlaw.

“Now I have got the taste of it I want to get out there again. Next time I get an opportunity I want to get out there and play again.

“There were a lot of positive things from the coaches, they were delighted with the win and just want to keep pressing on now, keep getting better day in, day out, and making sure next time we take the field we are a bit better so we can go on and win more games.

“It was very calm at half-time, which was good. It was calm heads and calm voices which we had just to be able to build that second-half performance.

“We were hanging on at times in the second half, so it was good messages at half-time and we came out and executed in the second half.

“We stepped off the plane and were straight into it. But we are happy to win.

“We created opportunities, even though we obviously didn’t take them.

“But we would be a lot more worried if we weren’t creating opportunities.

“Time together in the saddle will be very important now in training, putting together combinations and the team that goes out together on Wednesday, that is the next task in hand.”