As utter havoc unfolded before our eyes an old memory resurfaced. This was the same canvas upon which Johnny Sexton painted what will perhaps, eventually, be seen as his masterpiece.
The Principality was the Millennium in 2011 when Northampton led 22-6 at half-time. It made 8-6, even against Wales, seem like nothing, 15-6 barely a concern.
For a time this felt like Sexton’s game to own or surrender, especially as Ireland trailed 15-9 with both benches unloaded.
Maybe during his 10-minute sin-binning, either side of half-time, someone pleaded the country needed him whole to have any chance of recapturing the Six Nations title. But Wales, a true rugby land, needed this more. And they snatched it off Sexton's late error.
This heroic revival disappeared when Robbie Henshaw illegally joined that late driving maul inches from the Welsh line. Until then, Sexton, with poise and belligerence in equal measure, promised another legendary turn.
Poise; a trick spotted in the video room had him grab two intercepts in the opening half. Belligerence; his left eye was perilously close to welding shut when meeting the thigh of Jonathan Davies after sweeping cross field to snuff out a clever Welsh grubber in behind.
They hunted him mercilessly. Ross Moriarty turned an early collision into a head-lock and fed him dirt. That got the juices flowing which always means brilliance coupled with danger.
A kickable penalty followed CJ Stander’s bristling charge on 14 minutes (amidst the madness Justin Tipuric hit Sexton without the ball and held him down). Johnny didn’t hesitate. Touch. But no drive followed as Alun Wyn Jones stole Rory Best’s fling from Stander’s waiting paws. Wales cleared and cleared some more to leave Sexton busted up moments later.
Paddy Jackson came in for a fascinating eight-minute cameo. Scott Williams cut through the 10 channel, but Jackson was not there, as Henshaw and Sean O’Brien looked at fault as the breach led to a wonderful pass by Rhys Webb for the ultra physical George North to remind all of his finesse.
Welsh Goliaths
A penalty came Ireland’s way before Sexton could return to the fray. Jackson nailed it and departed.Another intercept on 28 minutes came to nothing. Welsh Goliaths ran at him at every opportunity.
Use the slingshot, man! Not a chance. Sexton even tried to form a maul in the face of four Welsh bodies. All sanity found an escape hatch from this spaceship on the Taff. Then came his cooling-off period.
“Clearly killing the ball on the line,” said Barnes on 37 minutes as Sexton appeared from nowhere to bash his wiry frame into Jonathan Davies as the Lions centre looked certain to score. Sexton rolled and refused to release. Flankers get away with it every week.
Legal punishment
All Ireland’s major men were targeted for legal punishment. Conor Murray lasted 46 minutes, playing the last 10 with a broken wing. Even Stander couldn’t last. Donnacha Ryan and Tadhg Furlong kept meeting heavies in midfield. The ball trickled back as O’Brien and McGrath and Henshaw did likewise.This stadium convinces Welsh men they are invincible.
It was 15-6 – due to the second North try which also finished off a battered Murray – when Sexton returned.
If anyone could figure a solution; phase upon phase, loop after loop, Sexton cajoled the men who toppled the all-conquering All Blacks back into this contest. Ryan carried like he did in younger days. O’Brien began winning collisions.
The usual endgame was promised when his penalty made it 15-9.
Even a mishit kick bounced up to make a territorial gain. On 65 minutes Barnes had just shouted “advantage over” for Halfpenny’s knock-on as Sexton shanked a cross-field kick that stayed in field near the Wales corner.
It felt like the moment. Jamie Roberts and Toby Faletau strode on to the battlefield. Ian Henderson, Cian Healy and Peter O’Mahony were already among the flying skin and hair.
Sexton passed and looped, waiting for the chance. Henshaw’s error freed Wales.
And so misery prevailed; Faletau blocking Sexton’s 78th-minute clearance to allow Roberts gather and carry Johnny over the Irish try line.
