THE MID-WEEK PRESS conferences have moved to a new location alongside the indoor pitch at the IRFU’s High Performance Centre in Abbotstown. This means that while we’re waiting for the interviews to start, the assembled media get a bit more of a glimpse at the closing stages of the day’s pitch work.
A few yards away, referee Andrew Brace is giving feedback as the front rowers run through some scrum work. Down the far end, Ciarán Frawley practices his kicking with Johnny Sexton.
This is shaping up to be a big month for the 28-year-old, who has been in strong form as he settles into life in Connacht.
“It’s great to see him have a consistent run of games in the 10 jersey,” Sexton says of Frawley.
Ciaran Frawley and assistant coach Simon Easterby. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
“Lo and behold, when he’s had that, he’s pushed his way in here. That was always going to be the case. Everyone that’s watched him over the years knows how talented he is and how gifted he is in many ways.
“He’s got an amazing physical profile, particularly for an out-half. He’s got pace, which can be handy for an out-half. I’m not going to comment too much on that, I’ve never had much of that. He’s a real running threat.”
Andy Farrell will assess a number of options at 10 throughout the upcoming Test window, which kicks-off against Argentina on Friday week. Sam Prendergast is currently training with the group while nursing a wrist injury, while Jamie Benson has earned a call-up following a bright start to his Ulster career.
“Sam started the season great. Bits at the start… like the kicking stuff that we talked about, that will get better over the next few weeks. Obviously, the wrist injury wasn’t ideal. We would have liked to see him play against Munster.
“And Jamie Benson has been impressive as a player. He hasn’t had too much time at number 10, but he’s been very impressive with what he’s done with Ulster. Whether it’s been at 12, 13, 15 and at 10, he’s done really well. He’s kicked a few goals. We had to see all those things to bring him in.”
Advertisement
A year out from the 2027 World Cup in Australia, this is a key block of games for Ireland. Farrell’s side are currently ranked third in the world, but many feel South Africa (1st), New Zealand (2nd) and France (3rd) will be the teams to catch next year.
It’s a different scenario to the lead-in to the 2023 tournament, where Ireland were flying high as the world’s number one side.
“We’ve got a bit of work to do,” Sexton admits.
Sexton with Ireland head coach Andy Farrell. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
“We’ve acknowledged that as a player group and a coaching group, and we’ve said that we need to catch up a little bit, yeah. But sometimes maybe that’s a better place to be in rather than half favourites one year out from the World Cup.
“So, look, it all comes down to the actual World Cup itself. South Africa, over the last two times they won it, I don’t think they’ve come in with outstanding form. You know what I mean? They had inconsistent form, but they turned up and they produced when it mattered.
“We’ve had the expectation, we didn’t win,” he continues.
“We’ve not had the expectation, we haven’t won, so we need to just make sure over the next 12 months that we have a basis to go back to and say, ‘look, we can do it against the biggest teams when it matters’.
Ireland’s performances across the first block of Nations Championships Tests, which took place in the summer, were not “the standard that we want,” according to the Ireland kicking coach.
“We’ve kind of acknowledged that and said, ‘How are we going to go about putting ourselves in the frame to talk about going to win a World Cup’?
“Because I’ve been involved in teams over the years where we’ve gone to World Cups and we said ‘we’re going here to win a World Cup’, and we’re kind of looking at each other because we didn’t have any evidence to back up that claim.
“In 2023, we had that evidence behind us. We had, whatever, 20 games unbeaten. We’d won a Grand Slam. We’ve gone to New Zealand [and won a series]. All those type of things. So you go, ‘We’ve done a block of work, this group’.
“Since then, they’ve obviously won a Championship. They’ve had some big results, gone a record win in Twickenham, record win over in Marseille, those type of things. But we need to build a consistency now over the next 12 months that’ll allow us to say that we’re going to Australia to do something special.”
Coming out of those summer Tests, Andy Farrell gathered a group of around 50 players for a one-day alignment camp at the IRFU’s High Performance Centre.
“We talked about how we want to go about the season and made a real clear, whatever you want to call it, plan or purpose, and said this is what we’re doing this season. Like, it’s time to ship up, get our shape up, and get our act together.”
A fitness test formed a key part of that meet-up.
“I think over the years, the most recent years, I think we have been up there with the fittest teams in the world. We dictate the pace of the game, and we just feel we need to get back to that.
“We’re never going to be the biggest, strongest team, okay. We’ve made huge strides in that over the years and we do have a great-sized pack and they’re powerful boys. But we need to make our fitness and the way we play the game our point of difference. Because that’s how we’re going to be successful.”
Sexton was speaking to the media in Abbotstown on Tuesday. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
And success takes many different forms. Ireland want to grow their depth and evolve their game, all while delivering results on the pitch against Argentina, Fiji and South Africa – before a Nations Championship finals weekend in London where they hope to be competing for silverware.
“Well, as a team, we want to win the next three games and be in the final in Twickenham,” says Sexton.
“It’s a results business, this, isn’t it? But at the same time, we’ve got a World Cup in 12 months, and we obviously need to see certain people play, and we need to give people chances and all those. So it’s all factored into that really.
“Luckily, it’s not my job. You can ask Andy that whenever you see him. But yeah, as a coach, you’re really focused on the performance. I mean, the bigger picture stuff Andy looks after really well. But for us, it’s just about trying to get some detail into the guys this week, so that next week they have clear minds and ready to attack the next few weeks.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
'We need to catch up a little bit' - Sexton on Ireland's November to-do list
THE MID-WEEK PRESS conferences have moved to a new location alongside the indoor pitch at the IRFU’s High Performance Centre in Abbotstown. This means that while we’re waiting for the interviews to start, the assembled media get a bit more of a glimpse at the closing stages of the day’s pitch work.
A few yards away, referee Andrew Brace is giving feedback as the front rowers run through some scrum work. Down the far end, Ciarán Frawley practices his kicking with Johnny Sexton.
This is shaping up to be a big month for the 28-year-old, who has been in strong form as he settles into life in Connacht.
“It’s great to see him have a consistent run of games in the 10 jersey,” Sexton says of Frawley.
“Lo and behold, when he’s had that, he’s pushed his way in here. That was always going to be the case. Everyone that’s watched him over the years knows how talented he is and how gifted he is in many ways.
“He’s got an amazing physical profile, particularly for an out-half. He’s got pace, which can be handy for an out-half. I’m not going to comment too much on that, I’ve never had much of that. He’s a real running threat.”
Andy Farrell will assess a number of options at 10 throughout the upcoming Test window, which kicks-off against Argentina on Friday week. Sam Prendergast is currently training with the group while nursing a wrist injury, while Jamie Benson has earned a call-up following a bright start to his Ulster career.
“Sam started the season great. Bits at the start… like the kicking stuff that we talked about, that will get better over the next few weeks. Obviously, the wrist injury wasn’t ideal. We would have liked to see him play against Munster.
“And Jamie Benson has been impressive as a player. He hasn’t had too much time at number 10, but he’s been very impressive with what he’s done with Ulster. Whether it’s been at 12, 13, 15 and at 10, he’s done really well. He’s kicked a few goals. We had to see all those things to bring him in.”
A year out from the 2027 World Cup in Australia, this is a key block of games for Ireland. Farrell’s side are currently ranked third in the world, but many feel South Africa (1st), New Zealand (2nd) and France (3rd) will be the teams to catch next year.
It’s a different scenario to the lead-in to the 2023 tournament, where Ireland were flying high as the world’s number one side.
“We’ve got a bit of work to do,” Sexton admits.
“We’ve acknowledged that as a player group and a coaching group, and we’ve said that we need to catch up a little bit, yeah. But sometimes maybe that’s a better place to be in rather than half favourites one year out from the World Cup.
“So, look, it all comes down to the actual World Cup itself. South Africa, over the last two times they won it, I don’t think they’ve come in with outstanding form. You know what I mean? They had inconsistent form, but they turned up and they produced when it mattered.
“We’ve had the expectation, we didn’t win,” he continues.
“We’ve not had the expectation, we haven’t won, so we need to just make sure over the next 12 months that we have a basis to go back to and say, ‘look, we can do it against the biggest teams when it matters’.
Ireland’s performances across the first block of Nations Championships Tests, which took place in the summer, were not “the standard that we want,” according to the Ireland kicking coach.
“We’ve kind of acknowledged that and said, ‘How are we going to go about putting ourselves in the frame to talk about going to win a World Cup’?
“Because I’ve been involved in teams over the years where we’ve gone to World Cups and we said ‘we’re going here to win a World Cup’, and we’re kind of looking at each other because we didn’t have any evidence to back up that claim.
“In 2023, we had that evidence behind us. We had, whatever, 20 games unbeaten. We’d won a Grand Slam. We’ve gone to New Zealand [and won a series]. All those type of things. So you go, ‘We’ve done a block of work, this group’.
“Since then, they’ve obviously won a Championship. They’ve had some big results, gone a record win in Twickenham, record win over in Marseille, those type of things. But we need to build a consistency now over the next 12 months that’ll allow us to say that we’re going to Australia to do something special.”
Coming out of those summer Tests, Andy Farrell gathered a group of around 50 players for a one-day alignment camp at the IRFU’s High Performance Centre.
A fitness test formed a key part of that meet-up.
“I think over the years, the most recent years, I think we have been up there with the fittest teams in the world. We dictate the pace of the game, and we just feel we need to get back to that.
“We’re never going to be the biggest, strongest team, okay. We’ve made huge strides in that over the years and we do have a great-sized pack and they’re powerful boys. But we need to make our fitness and the way we play the game our point of difference. Because that’s how we’re going to be successful.”
And success takes many different forms. Ireland want to grow their depth and evolve their game, all while delivering results on the pitch against Argentina, Fiji and South Africa – before a Nations Championship finals weekend in London where they hope to be competing for silverware.
“Well, as a team, we want to win the next three games and be in the final in Twickenham,” says Sexton.
“It’s a results business, this, isn’t it? But at the same time, we’ve got a World Cup in 12 months, and we obviously need to see certain people play, and we need to give people chances and all those. So it’s all factored into that really.
“Luckily, it’s not my job. You can ask Andy that whenever you see him. But yeah, as a coach, you’re really focused on the performance. I mean, the bigger picture stuff Andy looks after really well. But for us, it’s just about trying to get some detail into the guys this week, so that next week they have clear minds and ready to attack the next few weeks.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
back in camp Ireland Johnny Sexton October Rugby