Sensational Sexton returns to become Ireland’s inspiration
JOHNNY SEXTON inspired Ireland to victory over France on his comeback, as they kept their RBS Six Nations Championship hopes alive in Dublin.
On return to action after over a month out with a calf problem, the fly-half was immediately back to his best, taking a haul of 11 points — including a lovely drop goal — to ensure a good victory for his country.
Conor Murray also played well. He scored the only try of the match, when diving over from close range in the first half.
France had led through two Camille Lopez penalties, but their constant errors and infringements let Ireland back into the tie. Sexton needed no encouragement and dictated proceedings expertly.
The win means Ireland now travel to Cardiff, after a week’s break, still firmly in the hunt for the title — win there and it may set up a stunning showdown with England on the final day.
France’s second defeat, meanwhile, consigns their tournament hopes to the bin once more — last night they just did not have the sustained quality to see them through, despite a strong showing from Baptiste Serin.
The slippery Serin set up the first points of the night for France. The scrum-half eyed a hole in the green line from a ruck in the Irish half and went for it, his quick dummy past Jamie Heaslip sent him through, and if it was not for a last-ditch tackle from the man he had just beaten, Serin would have scored a wonderful try.
As it was, the Irish tried to slow the ball down from the resulting ruck, went off their feet and referee Nigel Owens rightly gave the penalty. Lopez hit it over to give France the lead.
Then a slice of luck for the Irish. They looked so leaky in defence and the French should have been 10-0 ahead after 19 minutes. Remi Lamerat thought he had scored when Lopez chipped a cross-kick to Yoann Huget on the left, the winger flung the ball inside to Gael Fickou, who then found his centre partner on a wrap-around line back to Huget’s corner.
Lamerat ran it home and the try was originally given, but on closer inspection Fickou had fumbled the ball forwards when trying to pick up from the floor — a knock-on and the score was disallowed. The visitors had to be content with a penalty, which Lopez hit for 6-0.
Ireland were sloppy at both ends of the field, turning over the ball far too often. But Sexton sparked them into life. He called and ran a lovely move, looping round his centres who drew in the French to create space for their No 10 on the outside.
Sexton sped away, kicked to the corner on the run and Noa Nakaitaci had to touch down with Keith Earls ready to pounce in the right corner.
The territory was Ireland’s, though, and from it came their try. From the back of an attacking scrum, Robbie Henshaw smashed over the gainline and before you could blink Murray sniped to dive over. With the Sexton conversion, Ireland had wrestled back control.
The fly-half extended the Irish lead soon after the interval, Serin pulled back Murray as he tried to close down a clearance kick, the penalty was given and Sexton obliged.
His next act was to hit Ireland’s first Six Nations drop goal since 2011 — a sublime strike from 40 metres to push the lead to seven points.
He struck another penalty and by this point he was being targeted with a succession of late hits, but he would not be beaten up, picking himself off the floor each time, returning to run the show.
Sexton’s replacement Paddy Jackson and Lopez both hit penalties in late on, as Ireland won comfortably in the end.
Scrum-half Murray said: ‘Only a win would do and we are still in the hunt. Seventy minutes for Sexton will put him in good stead for the Welsh and English games.’