The immediate French reaction to Johnny Sexton’s drop-goal really said it all

Johnny's got you covered.

A single moment changed the way people viewed Johnny Sexton after Ireland's Six Nations opener against France. Up until he nailed that pressure drop goal at the end of the game, he looked destined to, at the very least, share the blame if France were victorious. That poorly-struck penalty that would have sent Ireland 15-6 up nearly turned him into a villain, but instead, it only added to the myth. France battled back with a try to take the lead by a single point. The result looked beyond all doubt. Then, 41 phases later, Sexton dropped backed. From 46 metres out, he went for it. In what felt like an eternity later, the ball finally sailed between the posts to secure an iconic Irish victory. However, while the Irish were jubilant as the full-time whistle blew, the French were simply stunned. All the French players were gobsmacked when they witnessed what had transpired. The game was theirs. The win seemed inevitable. It looked like Ireland had thrown the game away. Then, reality hit them square in the kisser like a ten-ton hammer. The score was good. Those three points changed the outcome. They couldn't believe their eyes. They couldn't believe what had just happened. Sexton left them crushed.