Johnny Sexton owns Paris tonight after one of the ballsiest kicks in Irish rugby history

Patrick McCarry

Mother of all that is holy, what a finish.

Johnny Sexton was down on one leg for phases 33 to 36 of Ireland’s final drive.

By phase 37 he was back up and directing traffic. On phase 40, he dropped back.

Phase 41 was it and Sexton backed himself. 46 metres out from the French posts and the Ireland outhalf called the ball on himself.

It was now or never. Win or bust. Grand Slam still on or blown to smithereens for another season.

Sexton had badly missed a penalty that would have put Ireland 15-6 ahead. He then shelled a high ball with five minutes to go. France were expected to wilt but they were fighting like hounds in the final stages. Priso, Lauret, Dupont & Co. were off the bench, too, and fronting up.

Sexton previously had 3 drop goals in 74 Tests but with the clock well into the red and his team desperate, Sexton stepped up.

Up in the stands, it looked hopeless but Sexton knew better. Even as the ball sailed towards the posts there was a hush in the ground. It was as if the 74,648 fans in attendance could not believe what they had just seen. Had Sexton really taken a ping from near the halfway line.

One man knew. Sexton knew.

The Ireland 10 was wheeling away, arms raised and roaring, before the ball got there. But it did get there and it was glorious.

Ireland had been the favourites going into the match and they looked the better team for most of it. They looked in control but rarely threatened to score a try. With France keeping them contained it was always going to be a dog-fight.

Sexton’s miss, slightly to the right of the posts, on 56 minutes was his only blemish but it looked like it would prove costly. The fact that he then turned over French ball in his own 22 was a sign that the man was not going to walk off this pitch without doing so a winner.

There were two other magic moments during those 41 phases. Iain Henderson won one hell of a re-start over on the left wing and then Sexton connected with a soaring Keith Earls for a stunning cross-kick.

In the middle of it all, Dan Leavy and Peter O’Mahony made some great carries and Devin Toner was a demon for ruck clear-outs. Nigel Owens was never likely to award a penalty and Ireland were too far out to realistically gun for a try. Ireland refused to panic and left it to Sexton.