Sexton earns O'Driscoll's acclaim ahead of senior bow
Leinster out-half Jonathan Sexton will make his senior debut for Ireland against Fiji on Saturday at the RDS
Wednesday November 18 2009
ANOTHER week and another young Leinster player is selected for his first Ireland cap backboned by a senior prediction of a "great future in Irish rugby".
This day last week, it was 22-year-old prop Cian Healy being unveiled and backed by Lions captain Paul O'Connell, and yesterday out-half Jonathan Sexton was named in the side to take on Fiji at the RDS this Saturday with Brian O'Driscoll similarly effusive about the 24-year-old's progress this year.
"Block your ears Jonno," said O'Driscoll when asked to comment on his Leinster colleague's elevation.
"He's a very talented player but he puts a lot of thought into his game, he does a lot of background work, we slag him for having a bit of an encyclopedic knowledge of games that we have been involved in when he can recall crazy things but that just shows how much emphasis he puts into his game, into getting things right.
"It's been a huge six months for him, coming in the semi-final and controlling things as well as he did for Leinster and then a big performance in the final. And this year he's been a real solid basis for us (Leinster), controlling things well and with every game he's getting better.
"He's certainly deserving of his opportunity, I don't know if I can give him a better testimony than that and I don't want to put any added pressure but I think he's got a great future in Irish rugby."
Tantalising
When Sexton appeared on the touchline while Paddy Wallace was receiving treatment during the 20-20 draw with Australia last Sunday, that first cap was tantalisingly close, but the Ulsterman recovered and now Sexton will taste his first slice of international action at a ground he is very familiar and comfortable with.
"Paddy went down with a blood injury so I nearly got onto the pitch but he played on so that was the closest I got," said Sexton. "I would have liked to have got on like every substitute would but it didn't happen that day and I'm delighted that I got selected for this weekend.
And it was the 35-10 win for the Ireland 'A' side over their Scottish counterparts at the RDS last February that Sexton credits as the turning point in his development.
"I wasn't getting picked much around Christmas time last year for Leinster last year, then Declan (Kidney) gave me a big shout, putting me in the 'A' team.
"I've sort of gone on from there, I've been happy with my form ever since so that was probably a big break for me because it was that performance that probably got me back in the Leinster team.
"Now that Ireland have had some great success over the past few years, that's made the younger guys even more hungry to get in there and be involved in it. Triple Crowns and Grand Slams, that's what we're all aspiring to -- to achieve the standards that the guys have set."
- Hugh Farrelly
Irish Independent
