Sexton far from second best in Leinster eyes

IT can’t have been easy for Jonathan Sexton watching Ronan O’Gara’s masterclass against Scotland last Sunday but the Leinster out-half will have little difficulty in moving on from his unwanted stint on the Murrayfield bench.

That is according to Leinster’s skills and kicking coach Richie Murphy who has a better handle than most on the player’s renowned reserves of mental strength having worked closely with him in recent years.

“He is confident in his ability and he is playing well,” said Murphy yesterday. “Everyone has their own opinion on the way he is playing for Ireland but he suits our game and we are looking forward to getting him back as soon as possible.”

Sexton was an onlooker at Leinster training yesterday afternoon despite only arriving home to Dublin earlier in the day, but he may yet feature for his province this Friday in the crucial Magners League game against the Scarlets at the RDS.

It is a crucial tie for both sides’ play-off hopes and, if selected, it would allow Sexton to vent any frustration felt at Declan Kidney’s selection policy and hone his game ahead of the following week’s Six Nations tie at the Millennium Stadium.

“Jonny has matured really well. He realises that Ronan had a really good game but I expect Jonny to just come back the same way as he always does and perform for Leinster if he plays. I don’t see it is an being an issue at all for him.

“I think he will look forward to playing. I think he will add a lot to us in his leadership and in what he brings to the game. I don’t think we will be looking back and telling him he needs to concentrate on this or that. He will be ready to play.”

Kidney’s selection of personnel has generated ever greater debate since the tournament began and will, no doubt, continue to do so right through and on into the autumn and the World Cup in New Zealand.

Jamie Heaslip has been among those to have his say on the matter what with his declaration on TV over the weekend that Sexton and others should be rapping on the national coach’s door demanding some explanations.

Those words were deemed somewhat treasonous by the RTE rugby panel but Murphy explained yesterday that the number eight was just explaining a scene that happens in every clubhouse every week of the year.

“That is normal,” he insisted. “The door would always be open for the players to come in and talk to the coach. Jamie stated as well that you might not like why you are hearing but you accept it.

“That’s what we do here. If guys are left out we try and talk to guys. If guys are not happy as to why they are left out they would go to see the coach.”

Sexton might have preferred a retention of the status quo at ten but he was at least afforded the rare opportunity to close the game out two days ago and Murphy accepted that such an experience will only help him going forward. Whether he, or Peter Stringer, should even have been on the pitch at that point is another matter entirely as the policy of replacing both half-backs at such a critical juncture continues to divide opinion.

“It’s a difficult one,” said Murphy. “You have to be in that position. The guys obviously saw something that they wanted brought onto the pitch and had probably given the players information on how they wanted the last few minutes of the game played out. That was the decision made.”

Confirmation is expected on another decision today — that on Sexton’s availability this week and similar calls will be made on fellow Irish replacement Leo Cullen as well as Fergus McFadden who failed to make the matchday squad. Nathan Hines, who sat on the home team’s bench until the 67th minute, may also play a part against the Welsh province. All three would return to the provincial fold with something of a point to prove to their respective national coaches.

McFadden, perhaps, most of all.

Superb for Leinster since being given his big chance for Leinster away to Clermont Auvergne last December, the wing-cum-centre did nothing wrong in his two international starts against Italy and France and yet exited the 22 for the Scottish trip.

“Fergus is the kind of guy who just wants to play and I know he would have been very frustrated at having been left out last weekend,” said Murphy who reported Stephen Keogh as the side‘s only injury worry this week.

“He would probably have loved to have a game with Leinster but that wasn’t to be. We are just looking forward to getting him back. He brings a lot to our team in both his physicality and speed and in his general play which is excellent as well.”