Former Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll has been fulsome in his praise for Johnny Sexton’s physicality and mentality in Ireland’s win over the French on Saturday. Sexton kicked a clutch drop goal in added time to keep the dreams of a Grand Slam alive.
Speaking on OTB AM, O’Driscoll said: “It’s funny how it wasn’t a particularly good game, but how the last two and half minutes of a game can completely change the outlook of the whole country. We’ll look back in time to see how monumental that moment was – fingers crossed we’ll be looking back favourably.”
"It's those moments that Johnny lives for... He's very much like @RonanOGara10 and @JonnyWilkinson in that regard." ☘ï¸@BrianODriscoll on @JohnnySexton's 83rd minute drop goal, speaking to #OTBAM pic.twitter.com/ZpgMaU1DLj
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) February 5, 2018
On Sexton’s celebrations, O’Driscoll said: “It was pretty contained from Johnny, as you’d imagine. I was texting him afterwards and he actually went running to the big screen to try and get a better sense of it.”
“It’s those moments that [Sexton] lives for. He wants as much pressure – he wants the onus to be put on him. In that regard, he’s very Johnny Wilkinson-esque and [like] ROG as well.”
"They want to be able to excel in the most horrific of pressurised situations."
O’Driscoll also praised Sexton’s attitude prior to his last-minute heroics: “I thought it was incredibly brave to go to that cross-field kick to Earls because they weren’t getting there with ball in hand – they had to do something different. It was a calculated risk.”
“I genuinely thought ‘that is too far out.’ I don’t think he’ll ever hit a sweeter drop goal.”
BOD also thinks that the nature of the Irish victory changes the complexion of the tournament.
“To do it in the fashion that they did it at the end – that inspires confidence for the rest of the tournament. When you’re off colour, and it’s going against you, and you’re still able to dig it out and have forty-one phases and knock a field goal from 42 metres – it’s class.”
You can watch the full interview on the OTB:AM YouTube channel here.
