Johnny Sexton knows how many of the French team tick as we played with and against them for two years during his stint with Racing Métro.
The Irish outhalf was up, bright and early, today to discuss Sunday’s 16-9 win over Italy and the upcoming pool decider with France.
Sexton put in a decent shift for his team at the Olympic Stadium but will have been frustrated by his two missed penalties and a dropped pass, in the first half, that scuppered a set-play off an Irish line-out. He set out two key areas where Ireland need to improve.
“The ease with which Italy could keep the ball needs to be worked on,” he said. “We also got on the wrong side of the referee [Jerome Garces].”
Ireland have an excellent recent record against France – drawing two and winning two of their last four encounters – but Sexton warned the French will be different beasts to the ones they usually face in the Six Nations.
In doing so, he offered a real insight into the French mentality. He commented:
“The Six Nations is almost like a burden on the French in the middle of the Top 14 season – that is the impression I got. The World Cup means everything to them.
“And then it comes to a World Cup it’s almost like they build for this, it’s like they use players through the Six Nations year on year to have a big playing pool for the World Cup.
“And you can see from their previous results, how many semi-finals and finals they’ve been in.
“Arguably they should have won the last World Cup and they were in turmoil in the group stages.”
One of the main positives to come from Ireland’s victory was the clean bill of health reported post-match.
Team manager Mick Kearney has confirmed that Rob Kearney is fully fit and says he is “hopeful” that Jared Payne will be able to train on Tuesday.
Payne did some light jogging on Sunday morning but was seen shuffling around the Olympic Stadium, yesterday, still wearing a protective boot.
