FORMER LEINSTER AND Ireland star Brian O’Driscoll believes Joe Schmidt still has an ‘easy selection’ decision at number 10 despite the Six Nations struggles of Ireland and Jonathan Sexton.
Sexton claimed the World Rugby Player of the Year award at the tail end of 2018 before he again guided Leinster to a Heineken Champions Cup final and a successful defence of the Pro14.
However, an arduous Six Nations in which Sexton struggled to show his best form until the fourth-round win over France casts a lingering shadow over Irish prospects.
Joey Carbery currently leads the queue ahead of Ross Byrne and Jack Carty as Sexton’s understudies, but O’Driscoll can’t see the back-up options forcing their way ahead of the experienced incumbent in the pecking order.
“He’s very exciting,” said O’Driscoll of Carbery as he helped Sky Sports launch their ‘Sports Extra’ package.
I don’t think he’s a genuine threat yet to Johnny. As soon as this World Cup is over they’ve got to start thinking that way. But now with what Johnny’s achieved, he is World Player of the Year.
“By (Sexton’s) standards maybe he had a shaky few months and hasn’t had the same performances as he had in the last few seasons, but he’s still vital to Ireland’s success in the World Cup.
“It’s an easy selection, because he knows exactly what the team needs to achieve and everyone’s role within it.”
Next month, Ireland will take on Italy, England and Wales in four warm-up Tests before going to Japan.
Though history suggests that form in pre-World Cup Tests is not a pre-requisite to a good tournament, the matches provide a valuable proving ground for players to find their rhythm and build individual form.
And while many eyes are drawn straight to the quarter-final permutations – a toss-up between South Africa and New Zealand – or the possibility of a historic semi-final appearance, O’Driscoll is wary of the threat from an exceptionally dangerous Scotland team in Ireland’s opening match on 22 September in Yokohama.
“We’ll feel as though we have the beating of Scotland, but we can be beaten by Scotland. There’s no doubt.
“We were beaten by them (in the 2017 Six Nations). Look at what they did to England, pulled them apart in Twickenham. We have to give them utmost respect and hit the ground running.
“And that’s why, maybe, there’s four warm-up games. To make sure everyone has two games under their belt and make sure they’re firing.
Sometimes you have a warm-up game or two in the pool to get you up to speed. We don’t really have that luxury.
“If you don’t come out of the blocks against Scotland, you’ll be on the receiving end of a defeat that will absolutely take the wind out of your sails – worse than what happened against England.”
From the outside looking in, we often see a temptation to tread tentatively through the warm-up schedule and make sure not to succumb to injury. O’Driscoll, who was an injury concern leading up to the 2007 World Cup after a facial injury in an infamous clash with Bayonne, brushes off the notion.
“That’s just not the way you go out and play a Test match,” says the Ireland and Leinster legend, “the second you have that mentality you’ll encourage injury or encourage something you’re trying to fend off.
For me it was easy: a Test match for Ireland – friendly or otherwise – was about trying to get yourself up to speed, get match-fit and also to get a win for Ireland, play well for Ireland and try to impress the selectors.
“Even the warm-up game in ’07 when I had my sinus fractured, I didn’t think, ‘I’m going to miss the World Cup.’ And I didn’t think, ‘I’ve to hold back here’, or ‘protect yourself’. It’s not really the attitude you expect from a team who’s going to go on and have some success.
“Injuries will happen, unfortunately. In all likelihood we’ll lose a few players in advance and probably in the pool stage (too). That’s the game we play now. You might get lucky. The Grand Slams we’ve won – we had very few injuries in ’09 and not many in 2018 – so you do need a lot of luck when you’re Irish.
“Hopefully the ferocity of those warm-up games won’t be so brutal that there will be casualties, and not key casualties.”
Sexton certainly comes into that category.
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It’ll forever taint Schmidt’s legacy if Sexton carries his 2019 form into the world cup and he persists with him. He’s 34 and in decline, time to wake up and ignore what his ex-teammate buddy thinks of him.
@Rochelle: untrue tbf. Hes played at an elite level for nearly a decade. Deserves more credit than that
@Rochelle: he definitely has the right to prove himself Rochelle . However if he underperforms in the group and Joey is flying it … Don’t think that Joe with nothing to lose will pick the horse for the course . I’m just happy that if sexton gets injured like last time we don’t have to rely on Ian madigan. Same thoughts in scrummy too if Murray gets injured marmion has proved to be an able deputy.
@Rochelle: in decline but still world player of the year 2018?
@Kingshu: Last Year …. sympathy vote.
@Rochelle: he’s an extension of Joe Schmidt on the pitch
@Walter Obrien:
Sick little man :: World player of the year 2018 :: it is only 2019 now ::God that must hurt !!
@Rochelle: wishing Ireland fail because the coach plays a Leinster player who’s achieved everything in the game ahead of a munster with a half a season behind him at 10 so you can slag an ex Leinster coach. You are everything that’s wrong with Irish rugby.
@Chris Mc: is that what she said? Oh you’re one of those people.
@Chris Mc: I think you might be reading more than a little bit much into the comment. Not liking Joe’s style doesn’t make you hate Irish rugby … Diverse opinions coming together makes Irish rugby … Having a different opinion to yours (controversial and all that it is) doesn’t mean you hate your country… Well that is unless you live in North Korea
@yoloboyz: it’s Rochelle we are talking about. Even if we win the World Cup she/he will moan that if some other munster player was playing we would have won it better. This is not an Ireland fan.
@Martin Quinn: Yesterday’s man .. get that into that brain cell you have !
@yoloboyz:
I am sorry yoloboyz: but as Chris said we are talking about a poster like Rochelle (with his 4 different names ) he has proven himself time and time again about his hatred for all things Leinster (including our Irish coach and outhalf) your points are good ones but not in the context of that troll !!
@yoloboyz: Cooney is the next 9 in waiting
O’Driscoll was a phenomenal player but he has a major bias as a commentator towards his old teammates
@Gar:
So does the majority of fans outside of certain areas
@Martin Quinn: big difference between fans (yes you’re eluding to your crush, Jim) and an ex pro who has a massive forum to express his opinions to the world & have influence aswell.
@Al Madzer:
My post is always IMO And Jim is not involved it this he has his opinion and I have mine as you have yours…..
OK
Unfortunately, he’s right. Schmidt will pick Sexton regardless of form. When both are on form, it’s an easy decision: Sexton hands down. However, it seems to have become Sexton hands down regardless of form.
It’s not even a question. People are always thinking about the shiny new toy but Sexton is a class act. And it’s not like he’s been struggling for the last year or two. He had a rough few weeks during the Six Nations when he was just back from injury and Ireland as a team were below par. You don’t discard a guy who’s been world class over a number of years because he has a few below par games. It’d be nice if Carbery can find form himself because the way he was playing at the turn of the year gives us a great option off the bench, if Sexton gets injured or if his form gets worse. But he’s just an alternative not a threat.
@Eddie Hekenui: Sexton played well v Scotland and very well v France. What you write shows some perspective that a lot of people seemingly don’t have.
Carberry is an excellent second string, but he’s just that. Sexton will finish his career as one of the best 5 Irish players yet some people have always been looking for the negative with him.
No fly half in the world could have been better against England given how much our forwards struggled. He was poor v Italy and similar v Wales. But had two good games, too. So, not even a story..
@Andrew H: best 5, hmmm. Easily inside best 10 but best five, a close call.
@ThatLJD: he is top 5 what he has done for Ireland is spectacular
@Andrew H: Sexton came off after 24 minutes against Scotland. Given your recent progress I’m not going to repeat the crass comments you made about Carberry that day
@Timmy O’Toole:
Before he came off He set up 2 tries :: your memory is poor regarding that fact but you remember a posters comment that tell you a lot:: A posters comment means nothing so I have no idea why you brought it up?? Jory is a great
PROSPECT
@@the possibility or likelihood of some future event occurring.
@Martin Quinn: I’m not disputing that Sexton played well while he was on the field or that he is a class act; Andrew forgot he played so little that day. If you read the personal snide statements he made about Carbery that day I think you would remember them too
@Timmy O’Toole:
Would be surprised at that :: Chris usually is to the point and does not get personal:
We are lucky to have Joey there as the last time it happened Madigan came on and he is not in that same leaguer (IMO a good player but not to come on for a player like Sexton where Joey is) but that is what Joe has tried to do in this cycle of the W C :: depth is what he wants ::with Joey he has that but Sexton is the man ::
@Martin Quinn: you’re getting mixed up Martin, Andrew and Chris come from the same starting point but Andrew is much snider and classless, although to be fair he has improved under my tutelage
Yes Sexton was a bit off colour last season but he’s a proven world class operator. Carberry still has it all to prove as a top class 10 after only 1 full season in the position. He’s no where near Sexton yet as an international 10.
Surely he’s a bit of a threat
Only an absolute idiot would leave Johnny Sexton off the field. For pity sake get a grip now lads.
@David: or a munster fan.
Interesting comments by one of the all-time Ireland greats. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of Carbery as an out-half and that is accurate. The guy is far from proven as a true International in that position though with loads of potential. Another Carlos Spencer? Did Schmidt/Nucifora sell Munster a pup or a puppie? Time will tell.
@Brian Hodge: the 18 caps he’s got while still only 23 would suggest that he is absolutely proven at international level and moreover he’s got bags of potential to improve further. O Driscoll toeing the Leinster media line is neither a criticism nor an endorsement of carbery, its merely saying it as it should be, that the world player of the year should be starting for Ireland.
@Jim Demps: I’m a big fan of Carbery but he has proven absolutely nothing at international level – not a thing – he has started how many tier 1 games at international level? I can’t think of any outside that Australia game…
@Andrew H: he’s proven that he’s comfortable at that level and at 23 that’s good enough. Sexton hadn’t been capped at his age and Rog had about 8 caps I think. Carbery is a phenomenal talent and he’ll only get better.
@Brian Hodge: Carlos Spencer was class…44 caps for the AB’s, wouldn’t be knocking that!!
@Brian Hodge: I’d love if he ended up being as good as Carlos Spencer. If he’d been playing for another country he’d likely have 100+ caps.
@Andrew H: he no more potential than either Carty or Ross Byrne. Both of their form last seasons was as good as Carbury’s. Byrne controls the game better and Carty created more and moved his backline better than Carbury. The last time Carbury played v Byrne, Carbury wasn’t even Munster’s best 10 on the day. TB came on a was a marked improvement.
@Jim Demps: Remind me. How many starts @ 10?
@Brian Hodge: 5 starts at outhalf or around 1/3 of his caps. You seem determined to prove to everyone that he’s no good as a 10 when he’s streets ahead of any of his contemporaries when any of them were his age. Maybe it’s coz he’s not from munster and you pine for the good aul days?
@Chris Mc: and yet Chris if we are taking isolated games as concrete pictures of where players are, the last time carbery played sexton he blew him out of the water. If we go on that game alone then there’s no comparison between the two and carbery is clearly number one.
@Jim Demps: That’s just too much! Most, if not all, reasonable people would agree Carbury is quite a talent and has the capability to do for Ireland what Sexton has, over time. He will overtake Sexton at some point, just based on age and development/decline. But ‘clearly number one’, at this point in time, is simply not sustainable.
@gpq: I’m agreeing with you, I don’t think my level of sarcasm in the message to Chris shone through enough. My point was simply that you can’t form an opinion on a player based on one game whether good or bad.
@Jim Demps: Jim munster won the December cup final but Carbury that day has a scrum in the middle of the pitch V 13 men takes a ball and with all his vision and wisdom runs straight into the first defender and lost the ball.
A stupid red card and an interception try won that game it really wasn’t Carbury’s doing.
Infact he created very little that day against 14 men.
@Chris Mc: still beating that drum. My point here is that you can’t just take one game as an example. Carbery is the best goal kicker out of the four outhalves in the Irish camp. Around 1 in 4 irish points scored come from the tee. That alone puts him ahead of Byrne and carty. I actually find it funny the lengths people go to to deny his talent and potential.
@Jim Demps: he’s had half a season at 10 and done ok, you never stop going on about his kicking but his poor misses cost Munster big time in France and basically sent you away to Saracens. ( I know but but but since then he’s been perfect) this kid has all the potential in the world but so far hasn’t done it yet.
To say he’s miles ahead of Carty and Byrne is not based on form more like wishful and hopeful thinking.
@Jim Demps:
” toeing the Leinster media line” wonderful comment and with no Bias !!
@Martin Quinn: I’d love to see Joey back at Leinster and see how all the so called non bias commenters would turn it around. But it won’t happen, simply because Leo has Byrne ahead of him and so would I. Anyway CMON IRELAND.
@David: you’ll be able to watch plenty of Byrne at Leinster while the World Cup is on.
@Jim Demps: With all due respects to your dedication to The 42 and your profligacy therin, I have far more faith in the judgement of Leo Cullen and Lancaster when it comes to the merits of individual players and their capabilities. Carbery is a proven full-back and a dubious (at this stage) 10.
@Chris Mc: His passing, particularly in its timing, is unproven also and in terms of running and controlling games he has a long, long way to go.
@Brian Hodge: You’ve more faith in Cullen and Lancaster opinions than Schmidt’s?
@Brian Hodge: it’s a shame that you can’t use emojis on here because the eye rolling one would be ideal. To say a guy with 18 caps is unproven is bunkum. You’re the rugby equivalent of a flat earther.
@Jim Demps:
I have said this before, Joey is and will be the next best thing (WC Cycle 2023 ) A wonderful player (wished he stayed with us) but in regarding his present game he is worth his place along side Sexton >>In the next cycle would love to see him play Fullback, just imagen him getting the ball and looking up and picking his line and cutting through the gap :: with good player running good lines with him ( he has done that when he played FB before) But that is just my opinion . I will take him anyplace once he is playing for Ireland ::