Australian World Cup winner David Campese has said that Johnny Sexton’s attitude towards referees should tip the World Player of the Year race in Beauden Barrett’s favour.
Sexton is the prohibitive favourite to become the first Irish player since Keith Wood to claim world rugby’s top individual honour at the World Rugby awards at the Salle des Etoiles in Monte Carlo on Sunday.
Barrett won the award in both 2016 and 2017 and was nominated again this year after scoring five tries and 61 points in the Rugby Championship.
However, Campese, a member of the World Rugby hall of fame, has said that the award should be given to Barrett again due to his lack of confrontation with match officials.
https://twitter.com/Davidcampese11/status/1066074381544239105
New Zealand head coach Steve Hansen alluded to Sexton’s relationship with referees before Ireland’s 16-9 win over the All Blacks in Dublin last weekend by claiming that Sexton ‘likes to get what he wants’ but the Ireland fly-half dismissed the notion last month that he is given preferential treatment by officials.
Wales number eight Ross Moriarty was yellow carded in the Dragons 52-10 loss to Leinster in September for a blatant late hit on Sexton and inferred after the game that the Ireland out-half would not have received the same punishment if the roles had been reversed.
Sexton disagreed.
“He implied me and the refs have a great relationship? I think he’s misguided there,” the Leinster captain said at a MACE launch.
“Look, I don’t know really. I was surprised because I think anyone who watched the game saw that what he did – shoulder charged – I wouldn’t have done that to another player. I wouldn’t shoulder charge someone in the back when they don’t have the ball. I don’t have to worry about it.”
