SEXTON SHOWS NO MERCI TO FRENCH

With the heavy French pack targeting Ireland’s number 10, it was a case of plus ca change

THERE was a penalty coming, so they could afford the gamble. Ten minutes into the second half, the rain was falling, Ireland had a modest four-point lead and the match was entering its decisive period, a time of thrilling uncertainty.

Referee Nigel Owens signalled a penalty to the home team, so they could play on safe in the knowledge that if they gained no advantage, play would be called back. But Johnny Sexton had no truck with safe.

He took the ball, looked up and through the thickening sheets of rain he arrowed a drop kick straight over the bar. He turned and balled his right hand into a fist. He was back. Sexton’s wellbeing was the only story worth discussing in the days before the match.

This was due to his frequent injury problems but also because of the ruthless and occasionally illegal manner in which France have targeted him over the past three seasons.

They were at it here, too, and their risible conduct should hopefully find a French player sweating in his suit before a disciplinary hearing some time this week. A rotten late tackle by Eddy Ben Arous on his former Racing team-mate Sexton went unpunished in the second half. The prop waited until Sexton had passed the ball, and so was entirely exposed to a malicious charge.

Ben Arous obliged with a cowardly battering that lifted Sexton off of his feet and left him needing several minutes of attention in two separate doses. The contact did not appear to affect Sexton’s head, thankfully, keeping concussion fears at bay, but it left him badly winded.

A few minutes before that, after his drop goal drew the lustiest roar of the night around Lansdowne Road, Sexton was clearing a ball that French substitute Julien Le Devedec tried to block.

As he followed through, Le Devedec spread his arms to make sure he made contact with Sexton, but it wasn’t malicious. It was pathetic, if anything, and proof that France had tried to work out Ireland and their inspiration, and failed. This result should check the excited talk of a France newly connected with their glorious past. The nasty temptations that two of their players succumbed to, in trying to quieten Johnny Sexton, challenges the belief that they are back to their best, too.

They have a fair stretch of road to travel yet.

Ireland have much more of the journey completed, but ending it in a happy place next month depends on the ongoing health of Sexton – but not him alone. He is inspirational but beside him Conor Murray is now as important to his country. He was as effective as the excellent Sexton in this gripping battle as well.

Murray is one of those players, known in all sports, whose game visibly soars when confronted by the biggest challenges.

As he was magnificent in the Chicago defeat of New Zealand last year, so he was tremendous against a French team whose liveliest wire was Murray’s opposite number, Baptiste Serin.

The Irish No9 was inventive in helping Ireland go forward but he made smashing defensive interventions, the best of them an anklegrab on French full back Scott Spedding as he threatened to step free in the Irish half.

If that half-back hub is the heart of Irish ambitions, it is nourishing a system that looked in tremendous health here.

The fast-maturing partnership of Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose has the look of a long reign to it, and Ringrose gave his brightest display in green yet. This was only his sixth game for Ireland but he was frequently dazzling. The outside centre position is said to pose challenges in defence and attack that can take a long time to master, especially at Test level. But the mysteries contained in the No13 shirt were easily solved by the Leinster player.

Pace is one of his most obvious assets and he used it to stretch the French out of shape more than once. A favoured Irish tactic for years has been a loop around Sexton, with a player – often, in the past, Brian O’Driscoll – passing to the out-half, then arcing around him and taking a return before haring towards the opposition.

The ruse sent the heavy French defence chasing phantoms yesterday, and one of its manifestations resulted in Sexton chipping ahead for Keith Earls.

France scrambled to deal with the danger but conceded a scrum in doing so and, from that, Murray eventually wriggled over.

Ringrose did not lack for defensive enthusiasm, either.

He caromed off French captain Guilhem Guirado with one tackle. It looked like a swallow hitting a windscreen, but the big French hooker was toppled by it, and Ringrose was quickly back on to his feet.

An Irish penalty was due to more Ringrose valour.

Another French giant, Sebastien Vahaamahina, tackled the centre around his neck as Ringrose tried to dip through his tackle.

It was one of a gush of penalties referee Nigel Owens awarded to the hosts in the second quarter.

The determination on Ireland’s part to eschew kicks on goal and go for the corner after each one made the fans happy.

It also made for a heart-stopping first half, but it carried a cost: on those occasions the French managed to stamp out the sparks of Irish intent, the great lift it gave them was obvious.

Meaty arms slapped broad backs, as Ireland were sent trooping back down the field.

That Murray try before the interval would prove a rich reward for Irish ambition. They supplemented it via the boots of Sexton and Paddy Jackson in the second half.

This was a smart and gusty performance, engineered by men well served by those virtues.