Apparently Johnny Sexton has some problems with his temperament.
The man that famously got in Ronan O’Gara’s face, a matter of weeks after the former Munster fly-half secured Ireland their first Grand Slam in 61 years back in 2009, has now become the subject of national assessment ahead of Ireland’s visit of France this weekend.
Iain Henderson and Rob Kearney have defended his demeanour in the media, former Ireland fly-half Tony Ward said that his behaviour in Rome was ‘unacceptable’ and must be challenged by Joe Schmidt, while Felipe Contepomi, a man who was far from an angel on the pitch during his own playing days, instructed Sexton to what he says as a coach and not what he did as a player.
The ‘do what I say and not what I do’ tactic is a commonly used ploy by parents when kids are at an age where they’re still malleable and can be influenced.
Johnny Sexton is 33-years-old and the reigning World Player of the Year. He is what he is at this stage.
At the Champions Cup launch earlier this season, Sexton was quizzed by the media on his knack for talking back to officials and it was a trait of his game that was a flaw.
“There are referees, generally, the really good or experienced ones, that go: ‘yeah, sorry I missed that’ or ‘I’ll take that on board the next time,’ as opposed to totally dismissing it.”
“As a captain, you are always going to have flaws, aren’t you? As a player, you are always going to have flaws.
“(It’s) how you fix them up and keep them under control in the heat of battle or in those difficult situations, that’s the challenge as a player with leadership.
“I’m definitely not the complete leader. But, I have yet to meet someone that is the complete leader.”
Sexton realises his flaws but it’s a part of who he is as a player.
The same guy that is shouting at a downed Ronan O’Gara is also the same player that is fist pumping over the sideline after a key play against New Zealand.
The same guy that is flinging Joey Carbery to the ground is also the same player that is driving his team on to a Grand Slam win.
The good comes with the bad and the bad follows the good.
But Sexton’s fiery attitude towards his own teammates is not exactly new. Here’s former Ireland number eight Jamie Heaslip on Sexton’s on-field character in an interview the pair gave back in 2013.
“He’s very good at barking orders,” said Heaslip.
“He’s always been very good at that. Even before the Lions series, I can tell you that. I think some of the Lions players got a shock at the bite and the barking.
“I like good, clear direction from 9’s and 10’s and I always like them a little bit narky. He’s a lovely guy outside of the pitch and on the pitch he has his moments. He might be right 80% of the time and the other 20% he’ll argue otherwise.”
Heaslip gave that interview in 2013, before Ireland won Six Nations championships in 2014, 2015 and 2018, and before Leinster won another two PRO14 titles and a Champions Cup.
That was the wrap on Sexton then but now his outburst at Jacob Stockdale is being used as the stick to beat him with.
Tony Ward asked for the Roy Keane comparisons to be spared during his column, as apparently ‘great leaders inspire, they don’t alienate’.
Sexton already admitted that he is not the complete leader but he is the reigning World Player of the Year and sometimes the best players in the world get into it with their teammates.
Here’s Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr on his famous punchup with six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan.
“I took exception to something he said,” Kerr says. “So I was talking back and I don’t think Michael appreciated that … and we got in the lane and he gave me a forearm shiver to the chest and I pushed him back. And next thing you know, our teammates were pulling him off of me.”
The 6-foot-3, 175-pound Kerr wound up with a black eye. He threw some punches before it was broken up, too.
“I knew that if we were in an actual fight he could actually probably kill me if he wanted to,” Kerr says. “It was more just I’m going to stand up for myself.”
That fight took place during the Chicago Bulls training camp in 1995. Two years later Jordan teed him up for the pivotal shot of Game 6 of the 1997 NBA finals.
Would it be better if Sexton was more amenable with referees? Yes.
Is it regrettable that he rag dolled Joey Carbery to the ground? Yes.
Should he do a better job of keeping his emotions in check? Probably.
But ultimately Sexton is what he is because he is who he is. You have to take him warts and all because he is who he is at this stage of his career.
Roy Keane was largely a beloved player when he was playing because above all else he won.
The Alf-Inge Håland tackle was always there for people to highlight, the elbow on Jason McAteer, the explosive MUTV interview, but Keane drove Manchester United to seven Premier League titles and the wrap was that he was a winner.
The ends always justified the means until it was with Ireland and his temper tantrums were no longer acceptable, primarily because he was now on a team that had won just one of 10 games in the final days of the O’Neill and Keane era.
Sexton is not Roy Keane but his attitude is being highlighted at a time when the Irish Rugby team is failing to fire even though we’ve seen examples of this behaviour from him for nearly a decade now.
When you kick match winning drop goals against France you’re a hero. When you yell at Jacob Stockdale when your side is struggling you’re the villain.
What a difference a couple of months can make.
