Johnny Sexton: Craig Casey's attitude reminds me of Jonny Wilkinson

“It is inspiring for the rest of the group. I like to be last off the pitch and I am never last off the pitch with him around.” 

Craig Casey passes to Johnny Sexton. Picture: INPHO/Matteo Ciambelli

Craig Casey has been love-bombed by his colleagues and coach this past few months but the Munster scrum-half may have received the highest praise of all from Johnny Sexton after making his Ireland debut today in Rome.

An unused replacement against France two weeks ago, Casey made his first appearance for his country when replacing Jamison Gibson-Park inside the last quarter, with the game over as a contest and scrappier than he would have liked under the circumstances.

He still managed to impress with his service and Sexton was happy to add to the glowing references for the Shannon player who is now firmly in the hunt for a regular run despite the keen competition for places at nine in this country.

“I didn't know him that well obviously, I had never played with him, but his attitude is... I don't think I have ever come across anyone... It kind of reminds me what I read about Jonny Wilkinson. That is the only person I can relate him to,” said the Ireland captain. 

It is inspiring for the rest of the group and for someone like me, at this stage in my career. I like to be last off the pitch and I am never last off the pitch with him around. He has been brilliant.” 

Casey could only laugh when the comparison was put to him afterwards. Sexton, apparently, had said as much to the 21-year-old some weeks ago and the recipient was only too happy to accept any link with such a world-class player.

That his big moment came two weeks after he expected it only made this “all the sweeter”. Becoming an international was a serious goal of his ever since the first lockdown and making it in an empty stadium didn’t mean it wasn't everything he had dreamed.

“It makes it a lot better to get the win, so I'm delighted,” he said.

Conor Murray will return from injury, Jamison Gibson-Park is earning his own spurs at the international level, and there are plenty of other nines around the provinces capable of making renewed bids for inclusion but this is just the start for Casey.

Andy Farrell has placed his trust in him even with all those other options to hand and Casey is straight-up about how this taste has only whetted his appetite for more game-time in the green jersey.

“I don't want to sit back and be happy with being third-choice. I want to push on now. When you've got players of Mur and Jamo's calibre it's tough to break in, but I'm not going to sit back and be happy. I want to push on.” 

Ireland debutants Ryan Baird and Craig Casey wearing their first caps. Picture: INPHO/Tommy Dickson

It was the likes of Casey and Ryan Baird, who also made his debut today, that Sexton picked out when expressing his belief in the progress being made by an Irish squad that has struggled for form since the end of 2018.

“We have come in for some flack over the last few weeks but internally, as a group, I don't think we have ever been more confident about where we are going and what we can produce.

“I mean that properly. With the coaches that we have and the leadership group coming out of their shells, this group is on the right trajectory. I properly believe that.

The veteran out-half hailed some of the “outstanding” play that Ireland produced against Italy this afternoon while warning that the 48-10 win in Rome does not mean that everything is now fixed after a difficult opening to the Six Nations.

Farrell’s side lost their opening two games narrowly, to Wales and France, with the blunt and unimaginative nature of the side’s attack a particular focus for those critical of their efforts in rounds one and two.

Ireland claimed half-a-dozen tries against an Italian side that was yet again woefully poor in defence but Sexton admitted that the visitors’ performance owed a good deal to a sense of frustration after their winless start to the tournament.

“If you think about the Wales game, we played the game with 14 men. We think we would have played like that [in Cardiff]. We were a bit frustrated after the French game as the things we talked about during the week we did not deliver.

“The things we were told during the week we didn't deliver on. We will probably look back and regret that we didn't play to our potential and we didn't execute the game plan as best we could.

“Each game has been different. I suppose today was an accumulation of both weeks and a coming together, but it doesn't mean everything is fixed now. We’ve got to keep improving. Obviously massive tests ahead.

“Going to Murrayfield, it is always an incredibly tough game and then a six-day turnaround to play England. It is still all to do. If we get a couple of results in our last games it will be an okay championship.

“It will be one that might have been, but we want to finish on a high, that's what we said after the French game.”