IRELAND HEAD COACH Joe Schmidt has declared ‘it would be great to have Jonathan Sexton back in the country’. Schmidt was speaking at a post-Six Nations media briefing at the Aviva Stadium this morning and raised the spectre of Sexton returning to Ireland next season.
Sexton, speaking on 2FM’s Game On last night, appeared to put an end to the speculation once and for all as, addressing the speculation of a summer move, he declared. “That’s not going to happen.”
Schmidt, while reopening the debate somewhat, believes Sexton’s integrity will see him remain in Paris for at least another season. “One of the problems with that,” said Schmidt, “is that Jonny is pretty much a man of his word. He’s committed to Racing and it would be really hard to see him coming out of there.”
The New Zealander added, “If there was a chance [of a return], I’d be delighted.”
Schmidt added that he has spoken with Racing coach Laurent Labit about engendering a closer working relationship next season. Game management for the out-half, who had two and a half weeks off [including a wedding and honeymoon] after the Lions Tour, is key.
“Jonny playing 13 games in 12 weeks at the start of the season was not Racing Métro’s intent,” said Schmidt. “They have the same priority as us in making sure Jonny is well looked after.”
“Unless Racing were very interested in the idea [of letting him go]… I’m not sure how they would be. They’ve been very happy with Jonny and he’s done a good job for them.”
I love reading stories like this. For all the fantastic players that have come through the schools system, the majority started off life in the club system. It’s a testament to the players, coaches, parents, committees who put in the hard work in keeping these clubs going
Great story. There are large areas of the country that are open to this type of development.
@kieran horgan: Completely agree. When youngsters playing in less traditional areas see those a few years ahead of them feature in provincial and national squads, it will hopefully boost rugby in those areas. Look at Munster and West Cork, in the last number of years alone there’s been the 2 Coombes, 2 Wycherleys, Crowley, Hodnett, Hurley. Plenty of untapped areas to be explored
@Niall Boyle: Farmer strength is a term often used. You know what it means when you’ve played against it be it in Gaelic or Rugby. It would be fertile ground for rugby players if the seeds are planted particularly forwards. It’s also part of what makes NZ rugby
@Michael Corkery: farmer strength is something that applies only in the amatuer arena. Kids from farming backgrounds in NZ( also SA and Aus) who are decent at rugby with a view to the Pro’s, generally head off to boarding school for secondary, unless they’re commutable distance to bigger towns/cities. They develop physically using modern development practices, not shifting bales by hand…
@Sea Point: True, the bales of hay and tractor tyres have been replaced by dumb bells and Creatine.
@Sea Point: rubbish, certain people have natural strength which has been acquired during generations and their youth as they needed to have it for their livelihood. Of course, that alone is a base strength that is built on when they get into a more professional setup be it a private school or academy.
@Niall Boyle: and Mike Ross before them
Great to see, jj returning and possibly 2 good lads getting into the academy will be great for munster and the kingdom.
@Treaty Jim: would love to see Jack Daly get a run without injury disruption also
@Niall Boyle: totally agree.
@Niall Boyle: Doesn’t look great for Jack, ‘last chance saloon’ maybe.
The Blackrock catchment area is pretty large…
Kudos to their scouts, but I thought that there was a Leinster School’s rule about how long a player had to be in a school before playing for their SCT?
@Phil O’ Meara: Kerry is part of cork too. These powerful schools always find a way around these “rules”
@Phil O’ Meara: Would be interesting to know what discussions took place that resulted in O’Sullivan ending up at Blackrock, rather than another Leinster school or a Cork or Limerick school. However I think the rule to which you refer (and stopped Dylan McNeice playing for St Michael’s this year) is to stop Leinster schools poaching from each other. The previous school can give permission for their former pupil to play for his new one. Doesn’t apply in this case where it seems that everyone’s a winner
@Kevin Ryan: Everyone bar Terenure!
Jaysus Whitehouse is a painful ref