“You can’t say it was a fair fight.”
We had a feeling, on Saturday, that the cool, steely post-match interview given by Johnny Sexton, not long after Ireland beat New Zealand, would be picked up on.
The Ireland captain was a level-headed as you like, at Forsyth Barr Stadium, when Sky Sport NZ caught up with him for a reaction to his side’s first ever away Test win over the All Blacks.
“We played some great stuff at the start, especially when it was 15 against 15,” said Sexton.
“The game was disrupted a bit. We missed some moments. But, look, unbelievably happy with the win. To come here and get the win, no other Irish team has done it before so, delighted. It’s all on the line now, next week.”
It certainly is all on the line. Ahead of the third, and deciding test, at SKY Stadium in Wellington, this Saturday, those post-match comments of Sexton were pored over by a couple of former All Blacks.
Bundee Aki (L) and Johnny Sexton (R) of Ireland celebrate, at Forsyth Barr Stadium. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)Be very careful what you ask for, Johnny Sexton warned
On the latest episode of The Breakdown, former New Zealand stars Jeff Wilson and Steven Bates were joined by former Ulster, Leinster and Ireland scrumhalf, Isaac Boss.
Hailing from New Zealand but 22-times capped for Ireland, Boss admitted he was not a neutral, watching the current Test Series, and that ‘it’s hard to keep the smile off my face’.
There was praise for Johnny Sexton, Andy Farrell, Ireland’s second bright start in two Tests, and their defensive systems, but Wilson was not pleased with the red card shown to Kiwi prop Angus Ta’avao for his head collision with ball-carrier Garry Ringrose.
“Clearly, it wasn’t a great game,” said Wilson. “It clearly was not a great game!
“Bottom line, one team had to play with 14 men, then [for 10 minutes], 13 men. Credit where it is due. You knew the dangers of this Ireland team, coming to our shores. And now we have one of the great Test weeks to look forward to.”
“The context of the game changed when Angus Ta’avao was red-carded”he added. Wilson pointed out the similarities between the Ta’avao red card and Sonny Bill Williams getting sent off during the 2017 Lions Tour. “So,” he declared, “you can’t say that it was a fair fight.”
Both Wilson and Bates listened with keen interest to that memorable Sexton interview.
“You got the sense from Johnny Sexton,” noted Wilson, “that the job’s not done yet. The real history is winning the series.”
BATES: One thing I picked up from that Johnny Sexton interview was, he was very deliberate in saying, ‘When it was 15 on 15, we were winning’. You know what I mean? He was direct in what he was saying. He was on his mark. So it was [him saying], don’t forget that when it was 15 on 15, we were winning.
WILSON: When it was 15 on 15, the week before, we only needed 15 minutes to take the game away from them. So, be very, very careful what you ask for!
Wilson pointed out that ‘a clearly world-class’ Ireland proved they were a quality side but still failed to put New Zealand away when they had the man, and two-man, advantage.
When it came down to Third Test predictions, Steven Bates and Jeff Wilson went for the All Blacks. Isaac Boss said, “I can see it going to Ireland on Saturday.”
