Sexton reveals glimpse of the future

EVER since David Humphries decided to wind down his first-class career, Irish rugby has lived in mortal fear of the consequences if the unthinkable ever happened and Ronan O’Gara came a cropper.

Leinster fans will just be thankful that he was wearing Munster red instead of green when it finally did on Saturday. It is just possible that his main competition for the Ireland slot was on the same pitch wearing blue.

Though it was an evening for ducks and dogs of war at a soaked RDS two evenings ago, Jonathan Sexton did enough to suggest that here is a young guy with the potential to offer a viable alternative at out-half.

Heck, the guy even modelled himself on O’Gara growing up.

The 22-year old kicked garryowens, made the odd break, kicked at least one absolute beauty to touch at a critical stage in the second half and put the game to bed with a well-executed drop goal two minutes from the end of normal time.

Solid more than spectacular maybe, but who does that remind you of?

“He saw gaps early on and took a few balls himself back into the channel, which means he is thinking for himself too,” said Michael Cheika. “He’s not just thinking ‘oh, this is what the coach told me to do’. That’s not our way. It was good to see.

“He is reading the game himself, which is a good sign. He had the confidence to read the game himself and he had a go at the drop goal. Fair play because he knows he is going to get strife if he misses.”

Sexton himself was even more blunt about the consequences awaiting him if the drop didn’t come off. He would, he said, have had the proverbial kicked out of him this morning if he hadn’t dissected the posts.

In fact he has been assuming ever more responsibility in the Leinster back line all season, adding to impressive performances in Lansdowne Road’s “Last Stand” and against Munster in Thomond Park last season.

This year, he deputised at 10 when Felipe Contepomi was on World Cup duty and has filled the pivot again in recent games after a mid-season hiatus where the Argentinian’s experience and spark was preferred at 10 for Europe.

A broken thumb against Leicester in the Heineken Cup in January also cost the St Mary’s man game time and momentum just as he was called up for the Six Nations but the summer tour to Australia and New Zealand should offer the opportunity to make up for lost time.

SEXTON’S emergence as an Ireland contender isn’t an isolated incident, of course, with Rob Kearney, Luke Fitzgerald, Denis Hurley and Tomas O’Leary all proving themselves at the sharp end in recent months.

Some say this talent has emerged in spite of the amount of foreign players earning their living here but others are adamant that it is partly down to such a cosmopolitan mix.

Ollie le Roux, for instance, has been praised for his off-field influence in Dublin of late, and Sexton is all too grateful for the presence of Contepomi, who has been switched to 12 to accommodate his inclusion.

“He helps me along. During the week we talk about what we’re going to do and during the game he tells me to do one or two things. I take that on board but, at the same time, he tells me I’m in charge and I have to make the decisions because I have to take the flak when things don’t go right.

“He’s great to play with but it’s the guys up front as well — and Chris Whitaker, he’s unbelievable. He’s the best scrum-half around, I think, He controls things for you and his passing is unbelievable. He’s a pleasure to play with as well.”

Pleasing as it was to see Sexton survive so comfortably in such a rarefied atmosphere, he was offered a smooth ride by his forward pack, which confirmed its recent upgrade with an impressive performance.

“They spoke about it, that it takes one bad performance and you guys will be on their backs again and they would be the typical Leinster pack again,” said Sexton. “It’s something we’re conscious of getting rid of, of Leinster being soft.

“We try to prove people wrong.”