Man-bun still intact, Teddy Thomas was in his post-match suit and ready for interviews.
The French journalists had not spotted their try-scorer yet and, after Conor Murray departed, we were finished with the Irish player rotation. I approached him with recorder in hand… “Anglais?”
Thomas looked up and waggled his right hand, as if to say, ‘Not really’.
A couple of the local reporters were alerted to his presence and they made their way over. As they got to the barrier, I took a step back and simply said, “Sexton.”
Thomas blew his cheeks out and shook his head. What can you do?
The Racing 92 winger knows all about Sexton and what he can do. The pair played together at Racing, for two seasons, before the Irishman returned home.
Both men delivered magic moments for their country. Thomas came up with a 40-metre darting run that, when converted, put Les Bleus 13-12 ahead with eight minutes to play. Sexton answered back with a 46-metre drop goal to snatch victory right from under French noses.
Thomas, when speaking to Le Parisien, was magnanimous in defeat. He felt France should have closed out the game but could only credit Ireland for remaining came, in injury time, and building phases until Sexton was in position to go for goal. He commented:
“We know that he is capable of everything. He is one of the best 10 in the world, if not the best.
“Just before [his kick], we saw him on the ground with cramps. So he hid his intentions well.”
Could Sexton have been playing possum or was he just trying to stretch some life into his tired limbs before he took on the drop goal?
We may never know but most Irish fans will care not a jot. They know what Sexton is capable of too but it tasted just as sweet, all the same.
