Out-half debate will rage on

IN THE end, the final act fell to Jonny Sexton, ball belted into touch to end what had been an absorbing if error-ridden encounter. Victory yet again for Leinster, and fully deserved, let it be added. On the night, however, did Jonny cement his current position as Declan Kidney’s first-choice out-half for Ireland?

Among many other sub-plots in this top-of-the-table Magners League clash (front-row battle in the scrums, back-row battle at the breakdown), this was the one that stood out. All during the recent Six Nations the debate raged: Sexton or O’Gara? With a summer tour to the southern hemisphere on the horizon in June, the World Cup to come next year (and make no mistake about it, O’Gara has every intention of being there, is still in his prime), it had in fact become THE burning question of Irish rugby – who is the number one number 10? During the Six Nations it was Sexton in pole position, but every time O’Gara came on he had an impact, made enough of a difference to keep the question alive. In none of those games, however – for obvious reasons – could a direct comparison be made. Last night in Thomond Park, however, they came head-to-head – what did we learn? Nothing that we didn’t already know, is the short answer.

Though conditions were ideal for running, expansive, attacking rugby, and though both O’Gara and Sexton are good passers of the ball, good men to get their backlines moving, and started in that vein, this became a war of attrition, in which case game management and goal-kicking became key. On the game management side both were superb, good gains with the line-kicking, booming garryowens, Sexton hoisting a few real cloud-touchers in the second half, though he did start off with a hiccup, O’Gara in quickly to block in just the first minute, from which came Munster’s first penalty, converted by O’Gara.

Defensively, both excelled, not just in the basics, tackling down their own channel, but covering back on several occasions, as the need arose.

In the goal-kicking stakes, however, and as had been the case right through the Six Nations, O’Gara had a clear advantage. Five penalty kicks from five, each one critical, each one well inside the posts, in contrast to Jonny whose woes continued, with two very kickable penalties missed, one in each half. In fairness to the Leinster out-half, however, the normal Thomond Park cathedral silence was markedly absent last night, Jonny’s approach to each kick marked by whistles – hopefully it was just the result of a night when practically the only bars open in the nation were in Limerick, but given the worldwide esteem that has been earned through generations of silent respect for opposition kickers, it was a real disappointment. In fairness also to Jonny Sexton – and again, just as he’s shown so many times this season for Leinster and for Ireland – when you least expected, he delivered the crucial kicks, two in particular.

The only try of the match came in the last minute of the first half, touched down by full-back Rob Kearney (a fine match) after a very fortuitous bounce off an Isa Nacewa tread-through.

A conversion would put Leinster one point ahead going into the break, a big psychological advantage – up stepped Jonny and duly nailed the kick. The second was the game-winner, a simple enough penalty from 30m wide left, the same spot from which O’Gara had nailed two in the first-half; again, and despite the boos and barracking, up stepped Jonny.

On a night when every point was going to count, it was crucial, turned out to be the game-winner.

Overall, then, pretty much as was; O’Gara again proved that in all the most crucial elements of out-half play, he’s one of the best in the world, and in this opinion at least is still ahead of the youngster.

Jonny, though – well, he has his flaws, and that goal-kicking has to be ironed out, but there is a very definite core of steel running through this guy.

Truth is, we’re blessed to have them both.