Rugby

Sexton is the best Irish player ever says Farrell

Ireland's Jonathan Sexton celebrates after the Guinness Six Nations match at Aviva Stadium, Dublin. Picture date: Saturday March 18, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story RUGBYU Ireland. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire.RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.
Ireland's Jonathan Sexton celebrates after the Guinness Six Nations match at Aviva Stadium, Dublin. Picture date: Saturday March 18, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story RUGBYU Ireland. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire.RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to Ireland's Jonathan Sexton celebrates after the Guinness Six Nations match at Aviva Stadium, Dublin. Picture date: Saturday March 18, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story RUGBYU Ireland. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire.RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.

IRELAND head coach Andy Farrell hailed the influence of captain Johnny Sexton after seeing his Irish side claim a fourth ever Grand Slam on Saturday evening.

 A four-try haul was enough to see off England at a tense and nervy Aviva Stadium as the visitors threatened to spoil the party.

“It’s unbelievably fitting that, in my opinion, the best player ever to play for Ireland is able to sign off on a Grand Slam on St Patrick’s weekend in front of his home crowd,” said Farrell.

“For captain Johnny to finish his Six Nations campaign here - he’s been saying all week that this is what dreams are made of, it doesn’t come around that often.

“There’s a lot of stars that have aligned over the last eight weeks and accumulated into this evening.”

The occasion also marked what is likely to be Sexton’s final ever Six Nations game.

The Leinster out-half has already signalled his intentions to step away from the international game after this year’s World Cup. But if Saturday is to be Sexton’s final curtain call on home turf, he couldn’t have scripted the final act any better himself.

A first half penalty saw him surpass Ronan O’Gara to become the tournament’s all-time top points scorer, while in the second half his astute cross field kick was the catalyst for Ireland’s second try, scored by Robbie Henshaw.

On an afternoon where the visitors made life more than difficult for his side, Farrell also expressed his delight on how his side managed the occasion despite being well short of their usual high standards.

“We try to throw everything into the mix that we’ve learnt over the last three years and it comes out in days like that, when things aren’t going too well for you,” he said.

“You always keep on saying that the opposition is always going to have a say in it and they were going spoil the party.

“I thought we started off pretty nervy which obviously wasn’t the plan, we kept calm and kept on finding a way and that sums up where the team is. We don’t panic. It could come down to the last two minutes of the game and we could still back ourselves to be level headed in those last two minutes.”

Meanwhile, Mack Hansen believes Farrell’s motivational skills are unrivalled and sensed Ireland’s stunning Grand Slam success was on the cards as soon as he entered the international scene.

Australia-born wing Hansen was among a host of standout performers in the green jersey during an unforgettable Six Nations which climaxed with a thrilling 29-16 Dublin victory over England.

The 24-year-old, who only made his Test debut in last year’s Triple Crown-winning campaign after swapping Canberra-based club Brumbies for Connacht in 2021, claimed three of his side’s 20 tries across the championship.

His all-action displays were a constant threat for opponents, while his entertaining media interviews also garnered plenty of attention after he swore on television following the round three win in Italy and then claimed “everybody hates England” ahead of Saturday’s finale.

Hansen paid tribute to Wigan-born Farrell after the team backed up his long-held belief that lifting significant silverware was achievable.

“It wasn’t in my mind at all (when I moved to Ireland) but as soon as I was put into this team I knew that it was a thing that could happen,” he said of the Six Nations clean sweep.

“They are just such good lads in the team, just full credit to the boys.

“Andy, he can just get you up for a game like no other. “He just seems to say all of the right things and it just sounds cooler in his accent as well.

“I don’t actually hate English people for anybody who saw that headline that was spread! I’m just putting that out there - just in case Andy saw it as well.”

Hansen, whose mother hails from Cork, said: “I’m pretty much in party mode at the moment. The next thing I’m thinking of is getting some beers down my gullet, enjoying tonight, enjoying tomorrow night, the night after.”

He added: “We know it’s (the World Cup) going to be incredibly hard but that’s a thing to think of another day.”