Isaac happy that Sexton is bossing it

DECLAN KIDNEY has consistently deflected the ongoing debate about who should wear the Ireland no 10 jersey by stressing his good fortune at having two such talented players from which to choose.

Never was that more apparent than last weekend, when Jonathan Sexton and Ronan O’Gara salvaged a draw and victory for their provinces at Stade de la Mosson and Thomond Park, respectively.

Were the two kicks to be spliced together in a montage for TV, they would surely have to be soundtracked by that old catchy ditty ‘Anything You Can Do’ from the Broadway musical Annie Get Your Gun.

O’Gara may have done it better this time, if only on the basis of those 41 phases and the difficulty and distance involved with his drop goal, but Sexton’s penalty was further proof of his considerable recuperative powers after a personally difficult World Cup.

“It was a great example to set for the boys,” said Isaac Boss. “When the time was needed he delivered. If it wasn’t for him on that last kick we would have been coming home with only one point. He’d say himself he still has a few areas to work on but that was critical.”

Like O’Gara, Sexton’s ability to remain calm and take care of business in pressure-cooker environments is one of the most important weapons in his arsenal and, as a scrum-half, Boss can appreciate such calm and control better than most.

“You always want to know where he is and you want him to want to be in control of the game. He is never found wanting in that regard. You know exactly what he wants from you and all you have to do is get there and get the ball away to him.”

Boss was on the bench by the time Sexton secured the draw against Montpellier last Saturday, having been replaced by Eoin Reddan after 50 minutes, but he is happy to be back on the day job after his own period of inactivity down in New Zealand.

Just over an hour against Russia was his lot in that tournament and he admits it took some time to click back into the routine of things at Leinster where the season was already half-a-dozen games down the track.

Further bench time may be in store.

Last season, Joe Schmidt generally opted to start the more physical Boss on the road in Europe and go with Eoin Reddan at home, but the Kiwi-born nine is hoping for a change of pattern ahead of Glasgow’s visit to the RDS for round two this Sunday.

“I hope it’s not that simple. Throughout the squad we have depth and it seems to be an ongoing battle between myself and Redser. We have our own bit of banter about it but obviously we both want to be starting every week so hopefully I’m involved and he’s not.”

Whatever the XV, Boss has no complaints about life since moving from Belfast to Dublin. After 108 games for Ulster, he admits the move south has refreshed his enthusiasm for rugby. Winning a Heineken Cup and making a World Cup will do that for a player but such success brings heightened expectation with it.

At the squad’s media day earlier this week, Boss was visibly and understandably taken aback when it was put to him other teams may detect a weakening in Leinster’s abilities given they could ‘only’ take two points with them from France.

“Well, it’s round one and we were away in France and it’s never easy to go there. Last year we went there and lost to Clermont and came through that pool strongly. I don’t think that just because we drew with Montpellier that there’s anything to read into. Glasgow won at the weekend and they are playing well and they are not afraid of coming to the RDS. They have won here already, so we have to win our matches at home and get our campaign back on track.”