There are some encouraging auguries in Johnny Sexton leading out Ireland again in the second Test against New Zealand. Sexton was selected on the Lions bench in the series opener five years ago in Auckland and on being restored to the starting line-up he helped the tourists win the second Test in Wellington as well as drawing the third.
A year later, in Australia, Joe Schmidt also picked Sexton on the bench in the series opener in Brisbane in an effort to broaden Joey Carbery’s experience before the Rugby World Cup. Ireland also lost but with Sexton restored they won the second Test in Melbourne and also the series decider in Sydney, when he finished the game as captain.
“If you can win the second Test, the momentum always swings to you and you feel like you’ve got the ascendancy,” said Sexton on Thursday from the squad’s hotel in central Dunedin, and across the road from the All Blacks’ base. “But we haven’t really spoken about the Series. It’s really just getting back on the horse and making sure we put our best foot forward.
“We were happy with some of the things we did last week, but they are pretty ruthless, aren’t they? So clinical if you give them a glimmer, whether it’s on transition or your mistakes, they have got individuals that can hurt you. If you miss a tackle, individuals that can hurt you.
“We found out the hard way last Saturday. I think it was very similar to the Maori game, we did a lot of things well and then suddenly you turn over ball and you’re under your posts. It was very similar in the fact that the first 30 (minutes), it was sort of parity and then a couple of quick fire tries and suddenly you are chasing the game.
“But the lads did well to come back in the second-half and really stick at it. Probably should have got a bit more reward from that.”
As much as Ireland need to improve their ball protection and make more first-up tackles, Sexton acknowledged: “We know they’ll improve as well, so we need to realise that. But at this level, even 7-5 down, we are attacking in their 22, we’ve got a bit of an overlap or a half chance and suddenly we end up 14-5 down.
“That’s the small margins but they’re the details that get exposed against the best, and these guys are the best. We’ve talked about ways that we need to improve. Now it’s all about us going out and implementing them.”
There has been the customary debate about Sexton’s wellbeing in light of another head knock and being permitted to play within a week of failing his initial HIA, after passing both his HIA 2 and HIA 3. The player himself did his best to allay fears over his health.
“It was a normal week really. I just had to do all the necessary tests. Obviously got the knock in unfortunate circumstances, slipping into a tackle. But I was fine, honestly.
“I went off for tests expecting to come back on and wasn’t allowed, which is fair enough, that’s what it’s there for. It’s there to protect players if there is a suspected concussion, that they are kept off, and that’s what happened with the independent doctor.
“As frustrating as it was for me at the time, it’s just life. Yeah, move on, did all the tests and obviously passed all of them with flying colours.”
The amended concussion protocols introduced by World Rugby before this July test window appear only to have added confusion rather than clarity on the issue.
“I’ve been asked the same questions before. You go off for an HIA and you don’t come back on, everyone presumes that’s a concussion, but it’s not.
“It’s just, if there is a suspected (concussion) or if there is any doubt about the player. And obviously the independent doctor felt for whatever reason, my reaction to the knock or whether it was one or two little things in the Test, but anyway, that’s history now. Looking forward to this week.”
The HIA can, said Sexton, be tough to pass when a player’s adrenaline is pumping during a match.
“But you saw the one during the Maori game, obviously a totally different thing, and that has been criticised as well,” he noted in reference to the Jeremy Loughman incident when the prop was deemed to have passed his HIA by an independent doctor before being removed at half-time on foot of the Irish medical team seeing footage of him staggering.
“So, it’s very hard to win in this scenario. But everyone just tries to do their best by the players. We have got a great medical staff and set-up here. I think they expected to see me back on but look, we passed all the tests and we are ready to go this week now thankfully.”
A feature of last week’s first Test was the frequency with which Irish players slipped on the lush Eden Park pitch and the night time dew. The latter can be a factor under enclosed grounds like the Millennium Stadium, but Sexton believes the Forsyth Bar Stadium surface is smoother.
Sexton, along with Conor Murray and Cian Healy, are the only survivors in the match-day squad for the second Test from Ireland’s last game here, the 2011 World Cup pool win over Italy albeit when reminded of that game he recalled with a rueful smile: “I was on the bench.”
“I didn’t recognise the name of this hotel, was thinking about it all week, and then we arrived and it was, “Ah, now I remember it!” I remember Deccie (Declan Kidney) coming into my room, sitting on the bed opposite me and dropping me. So yeah, it’s amazing the memories that come back. Thanks for bringing it up!
“It was an incredible game though. I don’t know the capacity of the stadium but it was 90 per cent Irish and it was a party atmosphere. It was a great occasion to be part of. I would have preferred to have been starting but I was able to soak it up. Incredible stadium.”
