Fly-half Jack Crowley will take over from Jonathan Sexton, record holder for selections and points with the XV du Trèfle, now retired. A hell of a challenge for this inexperienced player, starting against France at the opening of the Six Nations Tournament on Friday.
Published
Reading time: 4 min
The moment all of Ireland feared has arrived. After 14 years and 118 caps (a record for this selection), the emblematic fly-half Jonathan Sexton ended his career at the age of 38 after the last World Cup. Orphaned by its playing master, the XV du Clover will begin this new era with a shock against France, Friday February 2 at 9 p.m. (on France 2 and france.tv) at the opening of the Six Nations Tournament. “It is obvious that there will be a void”, admits Irish coach Andy Farrell straight away. To try to fill this gaping hole, he called on Jack Crowley. But the task will be colossal.
And for good reason, Sexton’s influence on his team was immense. “I think that Sexton, like Dupont in France, is not replaceable”, judges ex-international Dimitri Yachvili, consultant for France Télévisions. An outstanding scorer, he became the best director in the history of Ireland during the last World Cup. “He has a game comparable to no one elseYashvili continues. He was also effective in his aura, in the influence he had over others.” Captain since 2019, he left his role to third row Peter O’Mahony (34 years old).
On the field, Sexton embodied the methodical and unpredictable game of the Irish. Not a fan of interval shots, the ex-Racingman (2013-15) liked to sow discord in defenses by distributing the leather among his cells of teammates in perpetual motion. The last sequence of his career, lasting 5’17” in the quarterfinals of the World Cup against New Zealand (24-28), is an illustration of this: the opener touched the ball 21 times in 37 minutes of play. game, in a configuration at the end of the match where the forwards are most often in action. “He has represented everything that is good about Irish rugby for almost two decades.”underlined third row Jack Conan during Sexton’s last match with the XV du Trèfle.
The last two French victories were without Sexton
“When he’s there, everything works, when he’s not there it’s a little less smooth”, confided Romain Ntamack during the last Tournament. He won’t be there on Friday night either, victim of a cruciate ligament rupture in August, replaced by UBB opener Matthieu Jalibert, while waiting for his return to competition.
Jonathan Sexton’s estate presents significantly fewer guarantees. Over the last four years, Ireland have lost three times in 17 matches in the Tournament when he played (18% defeats) and twice in three matches without him (66%). These two setbacks were also conceded against France (13-15 in 2021, 24-30 in 2022), where his fortune successors Billie Burns then Joey Carbery had no influence. Taking over this time will be Jack Crowley, nine selections on the clock including three meager starts at the age of 24.
“I tried to learn as much as I could from Johnny over the last two years, and absorb as much as I could.”admitted the person concerned, whose experience in the Tournament is limited to… three minutes in Italy last year. “Jack was like a sponge to him, continued coach Andy Farrell. His legacy will therefore be perpetuated, I have no doubt.”
The pressure on Crowley’s back
Installed at the opening at Munster since last spring, Crowley, for example, showed his composure by slamming the victorious drop in the last minute against Leinster, in the semi-final of the last United Rugby Championship (formerly Celtic League )… like Sexton in 2018 against the Blues.
“When he makes a mistake, he tries something daring behind it, he doesn’t panic unnecessarily”greeted ex-opener Tony Ward to AFP.
“The other day he was blocked with a low kick and five minutes later he tried to kick a pass towards a winger. That shows a certain strength of character.”
Tony Ward, former Irish international fly-halfto AFP
Sometimes positioned as a first center or at fullback at club level, Crowley is less reluctant to attack the line than was Sexton, worn out by injuries and concussions in his final years. Will he accept the role of conductor in a more restrictive framework? “We expect a similar training and playing philosophy as when there was Sexton”admitted Patrick Arlettaz, new coach of the Blues attack.
11 of the 15 Irish starters were in fact present to start against New Zealand in October during the World Cup. But will the near-perfect gear survive the loss of its driving element? “The shadow of Johnny Sexton hangs over them”already answers ex-international Hugo MacNeill.