IT’S ONLY MONDAY of Test week, and already the sense of anticipation has heightened.
It’s different when the All Blacks are in town. This is when the serious business starts, and the appearance of Johnny Sexton for the Monday afternoon media session confirms as much. He sets the tone, sets the scene.
“You can’t lie about it and say it’s just another game,” said the out-half, at the national team base at Carton House. “We’ve had it on our radar for a while, definitely.”
Sexton is set to win his 78th cap against the All Blacks. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Subplots abound, but this week’s renewal of battle lines at the Aviva Stadium pits the world’s top two teams against each other. A head-to-head showdown in front of a capacity crowd, and under the Saturday night lights. Some are already calling it the Test of the year.
After breaking the seal in Chicago, Ireland are eyeing a famous first victory over New Zealand on home soil. These opportunities don’t come around too often. Sexton knows all about it.
“They’ve all been tough games, close games,” he continues. “We want to make the most of it and see where we are really. It has been two years since we’ve played them last but there has been a lot of changeover from our team.
“I think probably eight guys who played that day [in 2013] won’t play this week so it’s a big change from our point of view but we’re looking forward to seeing how far we’ve come in two years and where we are in the world really.”
Advertisement
Sexton was, of course, part of the history-making squad two Novembers ago now, the out-half scoring 10 points as Ireland ended an 111-year wait for a momentous victory, but equally he has been on the other end of an All Blacks lesson.
His overall record against the back-to-back world champions, for Ireland and the Lions, reads; played 11, lost eight, drawn one, won two.
“You do get a sort of feel for what you have to do to beat them but then you’ve got to go and do it. That’s the hardest part,” the World Player of the Year nominee explains.
“So we’ll have a great plan, we’ll have some experiences of what’s worked against them in the past, what hasn’t worked and where they are the most dangerous but then you’ve got to go out and implement it. Hopefully that gets you close at the end and then dog it out.”
Ireland know they’ll need to be at their best if they are to stand any chance.
“We’ll have to be close to it, yeah,” Sexton agrees. “When you think about the last three times we’ve played them, we’ve had brilliant game plans and the times we’ve executed them really, really well we’ve done well.
“They’re a quality team, they’re going to at some stage have a purple patch, it’s how we adapt and cope with them.”
Speaking at Carton House this afternoon. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
Ireland showed the way in Soldier Field, producing the perfect template on how to bring the All Blacks down. Shut down the space, apply concerted pressure and force them into one of their less effective games. Easier said than done, mind you. Mistakes simply cannot be made.
“We’re under that pressure with Joe every week really, so we’re used to it,” Sexton says.
“That’s drilled into us, it’s international rugby really. It’s heightened with New Zealand. It definitely is.
“I’ve never played against a team that would capitalise on a mistake… you look through the Rugby Championship — the amount of times you think Australia and South Africa have them under the pump and next thing they’re underneath their own posts.
“In Pretoria, when they came from behind, they [South Africa] are on New Zealand’s line, they’re 12 points up with 10 minutes to go and you think ‘game over’. They turn it over, go the length of the pitch and score. Then they score again.
So, yeah, they really expose you when you’re loose with the ball and so everything is a bit more important this week.
These are the crunch weeks. The real litmus test for Schmidt’s Ireland less than 12 months out from the World Cup. Sexton wants to tick off another piece of history, he wants this team to seize their moment on Saturday.
“These are the big games that you do all the work for, you do all the practise for,” the 33-year-old adds. “You don’t get a chance, you know, they’ve been number one team in the world for nine years, you’ve got a small chance to change that.
“Over the years we’ve ticked off a little bit of history along the way with winning in Argentina, winning in South Africa for the first time, beating New Zealand for the first time, so to beat them in Ireland for the first time would be another little bit of history that this group can create and it’s one you don’t want to let pass you by.
“It’s something no to go in on yourself but to go and attack and go and get it rather than hope it happens.”
Subscribe to our new podcast, Heineken Rugby Weekly on The42, here:
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
6 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
'You can't lie about it and say it's just another game': Sexton eyes more history
IT’S ONLY MONDAY of Test week, and already the sense of anticipation has heightened.
It’s different when the All Blacks are in town. This is when the serious business starts, and the appearance of Johnny Sexton for the Monday afternoon media session confirms as much. He sets the tone, sets the scene.
“You can’t lie about it and say it’s just another game,” said the out-half, at the national team base at Carton House. “We’ve had it on our radar for a while, definitely.”
Subplots abound, but this week’s renewal of battle lines at the Aviva Stadium pits the world’s top two teams against each other. A head-to-head showdown in front of a capacity crowd, and under the Saturday night lights. Some are already calling it the Test of the year.
After breaking the seal in Chicago, Ireland are eyeing a famous first victory over New Zealand on home soil. These opportunities don’t come around too often. Sexton knows all about it.
“They’ve all been tough games, close games,” he continues. “We want to make the most of it and see where we are really. It has been two years since we’ve played them last but there has been a lot of changeover from our team.
“I think probably eight guys who played that day [in 2013] won’t play this week so it’s a big change from our point of view but we’re looking forward to seeing how far we’ve come in two years and where we are in the world really.”
Sexton was, of course, part of the history-making squad two Novembers ago now, the out-half scoring 10 points as Ireland ended an 111-year wait for a momentous victory, but equally he has been on the other end of an All Blacks lesson.
His overall record against the back-to-back world champions, for Ireland and the Lions, reads; played 11, lost eight, drawn one, won two.
“You do get a sort of feel for what you have to do to beat them but then you’ve got to go and do it. That’s the hardest part,” the World Player of the Year nominee explains.
“So we’ll have a great plan, we’ll have some experiences of what’s worked against them in the past, what hasn’t worked and where they are the most dangerous but then you’ve got to go out and implement it. Hopefully that gets you close at the end and then dog it out.”
Ireland know they’ll need to be at their best if they are to stand any chance.
“We’ll have to be close to it, yeah,” Sexton agrees. “When you think about the last three times we’ve played them, we’ve had brilliant game plans and the times we’ve executed them really, really well we’ve done well.
“They’re a quality team, they’re going to at some stage have a purple patch, it’s how we adapt and cope with them.”
Ireland showed the way in Soldier Field, producing the perfect template on how to bring the All Blacks down. Shut down the space, apply concerted pressure and force them into one of their less effective games. Easier said than done, mind you. Mistakes simply cannot be made.
“We’re under that pressure with Joe every week really, so we’re used to it,” Sexton says.
“That’s drilled into us, it’s international rugby really. It’s heightened with New Zealand. It definitely is.
“I’ve never played against a team that would capitalise on a mistake… you look through the Rugby Championship — the amount of times you think Australia and South Africa have them under the pump and next thing they’re underneath their own posts.
“In Pretoria, when they came from behind, they [South Africa] are on New Zealand’s line, they’re 12 points up with 10 minutes to go and you think ‘game over’. They turn it over, go the length of the pitch and score. Then they score again.
These are the crunch weeks. The real litmus test for Schmidt’s Ireland less than 12 months out from the World Cup. Sexton wants to tick off another piece of history, he wants this team to seize their moment on Saturday.
“These are the big games that you do all the work for, you do all the practise for,” the 33-year-old adds. “You don’t get a chance, you know, they’ve been number one team in the world for nine years, you’ve got a small chance to change that.
“Over the years we’ve ticked off a little bit of history along the way with winning in Argentina, winning in South Africa for the first time, beating New Zealand for the first time, so to beat them in Ireland for the first time would be another little bit of history that this group can create and it’s one you don’t want to let pass you by.
“It’s something no to go in on yourself but to go and attack and go and get it rather than hope it happens.”
Subscribe to our new podcast, Heineken Rugby Weekly on The42, here:
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Ireland Joe Schmidt Johhny Sexton November internationals November Tests one versus two