World Cup winner in association with

stands out and should have the All Blacks worried ahead of tonight’s clash of the world’s top two.

A February evening in Paris, 82 minutes on the clock, and Ireland out of gas 45 metres from the French line. Sexton has marshalled his team through 41 phases but they are tiring and he knows it.

Sensing he must seize the opportunity or it will be lost, he pulls the trigger, dropping an outrageous goal (below). Ireland win and go from strength to strength.

Now think back to Twickenham a week ago. England half the distance from the sticks and not needing a try to beat New Zealand. Had it been Ireland the world champions would be resigned to their fate but England are not yet in that league.

Instead of coolly working the drop-goal chance, they went for a try they did not need, ran up a blind alley, and the All Blacks escaped.

That rather neatly sums up the gap between the two sides just now and is why New Zealand must be significantly better if they are to win what could well be a dress-rehearsal for next year’s World Cup final.

Back to England, and I applaud what Eddie Jones has done in making George Ford captain against Japan on his 50th cap. Jones is showing that Ford remains a big part of his plans even though he has moved Owen Farrell to fly-half in recent games.

Quite right too. He is as natural a controller of a game as I’ve seen.

With exciting runners around him at Twickenham today I fancy he’s going to enjoy himself.