Sexton hits form to help steer Irish to victory over France
IRELAND, guided by the old firm of Connor Murray and Johnny Sexton at half-back, beat France without undue alarm in tricky conditions at the Aviva to very much maintain their hopes of winning this year’s Six Nations.
The Irish weren’t at their absolute best but they didn’t have to be against a French team that started well but ultimately flattered to deceive. This was by some distance their least impressive performance of the current Championship.
Murray has been the stand-out player in Ireland and probably Europe this season so you almost take his all-round excellence, game control and cover defence for granted but there was much relief to see Sexton at something approaching his best.
Sexton was returning after a five-week lay-off with a calf muscle injury picked up with Leinster in their final European Cup pool game.
Within no time he was running his familiar loop routines and there was the usual sharp physicality to all his exchanges. On top of all that he also took the opportunity to dust off his drop-goal skills with a beauty in the second half which left you wondering why he doesn’t knock a few more over.
Best of all Sexton jogged off the field in the 68th minute seemingly injury free, if puffing a bit. He should be good to go again next up against Wales when a win in Cardiff would give Ireland a winners-take-all shot at the title against England.
That is probably jumping the gun a little but there is a solidity about Ireland that means they will travel to the Millennium Stadium with no fear.
As for last night in Dublin an evenly contested first half was basically a tale of two quarters with France – enterprising and looking to free their backs when possible – quickest out of the blocks before Ireland responded in kind.
A lightning attack down the right flank, carried on by the elusive No.9 Baptiste Serin saw the French go close early on and they will have been disappointed to garner only a Camille Lopez penalty from the pressure they exerted.
Undeterred they pressed on and enjoyed a break when Scott Spedding launched a massive relieving kick 70 yards down field and Simon Zebo, tracking back, carelessly touched the ball before it bounded into the in-goal area thus conceding a scrum five.
France piled the pressure on and were only denied when Ireland went offside at the ruck and, with advantage being played, fly-half Lopez drilled a low cross field kick which wing Yoann Huget read well although he dislodged the ball backward when tackled.
Gael Fickou appeared to scoop the ball up miraculously and feed Remi Lamerat for an invaluable try, but close inspection of Fickou’s part in the move highlighted the smallest of knock ons. Big enough however for the TMO and Nigel Owens to rule out the try. It felt like a big moment at the time and so it proved to be.
France did go back to kick the penalty but 6-0 wasn’t as satisfactory and pressure building as 10-0 and soon Ireland, with Sexton beginning to pull the strings, were very much back in the mix and on the attack.
A Sexton loop move – the opposition know it’s coming but it’s nigh on impossible to counter – followed by a chip ahead very nearly resulted in a try but Noa Nakaitaci scrambled back to save the day for France. There was, however, no stopping Ireland from the scrum five with Murray attacking with cold-eyed intent.
First he launched a charging Robbie Henshaw with the flattest of flat passes from the base of the scrum and then, with a perfect clear out from Garry Ringrose ensuring quick possession, he forced his way over for the try, converted well by Sexton.
Ireland were very much in the ascendency and felt confident enough to turn down shots at goal with three consecutive penalties as they kicked instead for the corner and the rolling maul option from the subsequent line-outs.
France looked in serious trouble and were on a final warning from Owens but right at the death produced a phenomenal counter maul to repel the Irish and win a penalty themselves.
Spedding cleared mightily and France really should have seen out the half in Irish territory but they conceded another sloppy penalty and Ireland moved downfield again and France found themselves needlessly under the cosh again although they did manage to just about survive until the break.
At what cost physically though? Les Blues were red in the face with effort and puffing hard. Fitness, or lack of it, is still an issue with them, particularly their huge pack.
Ireland eased into a more comfortable lead in the first 15 minutes of the second half through the boot of Sexton. First came a penalty after Murray and Serin had tangled during the ritual scrum-halves’ fight for position at the base of the scrum and Owens decided Serin was the main offender.
That was an easy three points but there was real merit moments later when Sexton smashed home a soaring drop-goal from 40
yards plus, with Owens already signally penalty advantage from a collapsed maul.
A kick to nothing, as the modern expression goes, but Sexton absolutely nailed it and his fist pump afterwards demonstrated exactly how much he enjoyed it.
And then France, learning nothing, again went offside trying to prevent Irish forward momentum and ceded yet another easy three points for Sexton. They had turned around one point adrift yet suddenly Ireland, without playing a huge amount of rugby, were fully ten points up.
The game was all but over and drifted rather disappointingly after that in admittedly worsening conditions. France, other than an exciting breakout by Spedding, couldn’t get a head of steam up and Ireland rarely looked like adding to their try tally.
Securing the win and denying France a bonus point became the priority, something replacement Paddy Jackson achieved with a 75th minute penalty in front of the post.