JOHNNY SEXTON ISN’T a man who tends to get stuck for words when there’s a microphone in front of him, but there was a moment at the Shelbourne Hotel yesterday where the Ireland captain took a lengthy pause before answering a question from the floor.
Sitting beside Andy Farrell during Ireland’s World Cup squad announcement press conference, the out-half had just been asked how much attention he had paid to the noise surrounding his disciplinary hearing – and subsequent three-game ban – for verbally abusing the match officials following Leinster’s Champions Cup defeat to La Rochelle.
He considered his words carefully before touching on the personal toll of a controversy that was, by his own admission, “obviously my own fault.”
“Yeah, I think when it affects your family, you obviously go, ‘Why are you upset?’ Sexton said. “This happened, this happened, this happened, this happened, this happened” – and still five weeks later this is still happening…
Of course, I’m not trying to play the victim. I made a mistake and I had to put up with what I had to put up with for seven weeks. You have to face up to your actions, and that’s what I did.”
The seven weeks seems to be the lasting sore point of the whole saga, with the incident taking place at Aviva Stadium on 20 May and a decision on Sexton’s ban not arriving until 16 July.
“I’ve never seen another process last eight weeks or seven weeks, whatever it was,” Sexton continued.
“So it was incredibly frustrating, not knowing what was going to happen.
“I’m not sure why it took so long but that’s the way it was handled. It doesn’t really matter what I think; I got my suspension and I’ve had to just sit it out and that’s it.”
The 38-year-old also confirmed that he did seek any clarification around why the process was so drawn out.
“No, I was just trying to go along with what was happening and do the right thing at each stage. As I said previously, I made a mistake in that one moment.
That’s what I held my hand up for. I don’t go along with a lot of the other stuff that was thrown at me, but sometimes you’ve just got to take it on the chin.
“It’s over now, thankfully, and hopefully I’ll be in good shape come Romania in two weeks.”
With the ban now served, Sexton is fit and available for selection ahead of Ireland’s opening World Cup pool clash with Romania on 9 September.
It’s a fixture Ireland will be expected to win comfortably, but one in which Sexton will be grateful of the gametime – the Ireland captain hasn’t played any competitive rugby since injuring his groin in the Six Nations win against England in March.
“For a kicker, to injure your adductors like I did is not ideal but thankfully the IRFU sent me to the best guy in the world.
“He did a great job, he mapped it out for me and he was literally, to the day, accurate in what he told me; when I could return to training, when I could kick a ball again. He just mapped it out, knew from his experience. It’s very impressive to see. Thankfully it’s been good over the last number of weeks and hopefully ready to go.”
Farrell will certainly hope his captain can quickly get up to speed, with Ireland playing Romania and Tonga in their first two pool games before taking on South Africa and Scotland.
On the back of an excellent year which has included a series win in New Zealand and Grand Slam success, Ireland head to France as the number one ranked team in the world and one of the early favourites to win the World Cup.
It would be a stunning way for Sexton to end his international career and the out-half outlined why he believes this group can create history in France.
“What we’ve done. What we’ve done over the last couple of years, how we’ve built from four years ago and got better along the way.
“I’ve been in groups before where you go to a World Cup and you say we’re here to win it but you don’t often have the achievements to back that up.
“(Whereas) we’ve got things like the grand slam, going to New Zealand and winning a series – stuff like that, stuff that when you go back over other teams that have won it, like England in 2003. They said they needed to win a Grand Slam, they needed to win in the southern hemisphere to win a world cup.
“So we’ve some evidence to give us a little bit of confidence but we also know that it’s the toughest group that we’ve ever had, the toughest quarter-final draw if we can manage to get through our group, so it’s all to do.”
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Well done Ulster, great result.
Well done Ulster. A home fixture is deserved at this stage.
Well done ulster but after this result against an average side ulster fans think they’re going to win the world Cup and should have 15 players on the lions, it’s absolutely hilarious
@Michael Oats: what’s with the sour grapes? They got their deserved win and the fans are within their rights to celebrate and dream of big things. The Challenge Cup is not an easy competition to win either, the ruthless needed in the knock out stages is as ferocious as you’d expect and fair dues to Ulster for the win. As for players on the Lions that depends on Gats and what he wants from individuals fitting into HIS team, not the performance of Ulster as a team.
@Michael Oats: Michael, you need to get out a little more. Where did this come from? As. Leinster fan, I cheered them to the finish an celebrated a great performance. It augurs well for the future of both Ulster and Irish rugby. What was it Brendan Behan said about the begrudgers?
@SPQH: ah theres no sour grapes here. I actually like Dan mcfarland as a coach – has been very good everywhere he’s coached – and some of the players are alright club players too tbf. It’s the fans that make them out to be spartan warriors and world beaters after every game they win against poor opposition gets me in fits of laughter every time… On a side note “Gats” You know him personally do ya? Lol
@Michael Oats: you are a very embittered Musterman. I won’t call you a Munster supporter as they are fair-minded.
@Michael Oats: that’s a very odd comment to be making unprompted. Just say well done and ignore the chip on your shoulder
@Trevor Johnston: Munster Abu trev
@Michael Oats: why so bitter? That’s 2 away wins on the trot in England, and Saints are a decent side. It’s a great win and chance of a cup. And a couple of Lions is a possibility, don’t be so odd
@Michael Oats: They probably are the 2nd best province
@Trevor Johnston: he is probably just annoyed that if Ulster won silverware, Munster will be the only province not to have won a competition in the last decade.
@Michael Oats: troll harder
@Joe Vlogs: I rather we didn’t win a second rate trophy tbh. Challenge Cup against what? English teams rolling out second strings. Treviso were in the quarter final and agen were in the last 16, neither of those teams have won a game all year. But go on ulster have your day. Lol
@rugbyanbeer: this is the kind of fan I’m talking about. Hahaha
@Michael Oats: ulster play a great brand of rugby and have been the 2nd best side in the league and in Ireland for a while now. Some of their home grown talent are simply fantastic rugby players. You need to find a different sport if you can’t appreciate how ulster play rugby.
@Michael Oats: a) I’m not from Ulster b) I guess that explains why Munster don’t win anything…they don’t really want to, you know. Saving their tinder for the Rainbow cup or something serious like that.
Congratulations Ulster
Great win and have to say did not look likely at HT. Hope Lowrey learns a lot from that game for he is an exciting prospect. …..but he’s not going to suck in defenders and offload in the tackle very often and running up blind alleys gets him turned over like you would a baby in a cot. His strength is that he’s a space user not a space creator . Get him running off the shoulders of fellas that can take the hit and offload in the tackle and not sure 15 is suited to him…might be worth giving him a protracted run at 10. Played last night like a chap that has started to believe the hype. Some of his decision making was poor.
@Michael Murray: not his best game. Hopefully he will learn.
@Trevor Johnston: …looks every inch a footballer….I’m sure he will. Given he is such a unique package with incredible potential ,his coaches and mentors have a hell of a responsibility to help get the best out of himself and reach his full potential.
@Michael Murray: to be fair he is a 10 playing at 15. He has been impressive in general but these blips will happen
@Dave O Keeffe: I know and that makes it even more important that he’s looked after particularly well.
@Michael Murray: Super talented but because of his size has to be used properly. Has the skills for 10 but I doubt he’d be able for the hits Sexton has taken over the years.
FB would appear to be his best option. Wasn’t great yesterday but any player can have an off day.
After 2 away wins Ulster definitely deserve a home game. Great for Irish rugby if they can pull it off.