“The Johnny Sexton, Finn Russell debate has been put to bed”

“I was trying to keep it a little bit lower. It was quite blustery in the stadium and it was a good enough strike to get over.”

Johnny Sexton stepping up to bang over a 76th minute penalty to win it for Ireland at Murrayfield with a low-scuttling rocket. The Scots must be sick of the sight of him.

While Andy Farrell seems determined to give Jamison Gibson-Park the entire Six Nations in the No.9 jersey – Conor Murray did not get a minute against Scotland – Johnny Sexton still reigns supreme as our No.10.

We all know that Sexton is in the twilight of his career. He would love to be able to tell you he could make it to another World Cup, in 2023, but nothing in rugby is certain for a guy in his mid 30s. It s impressive enough that he is still out there, and winning tight matches for his team.

While Sexton’s 14 points off the kicking tee, and another assured performance, helped Ireland get further back on track, it is British & Irish Lions head coach Warren Gatland who may have got the biggest boost, on Sunday.

On the latest House of Rugby Ireland episode [LISTEN from 15:50 below], Fergus McFadden and Chris Henry noted how Sexton could well have secured a starting role for the Lions, this summer.

Coming into the Six Nations clash between Scotland and Ireland, there would have been a lock of rugby supporters backing Finn Russell to get the Lions nod ahead of Johnny Sexton.

With Owen Farrell all but locked in as a 10/12, Gatland is likely to choose two more out-halves to take on the Springboks this summer. Wales’ Dan Biggar is making a good case for himself while Russell and Sexton have both toured before.

Sexton’s name had not been getting much traction, among fans and pundits, in the opening rounds of the championship but he has stepped up his game against Italy and now Scotland.

“You mentioned Warren Gatland was there,” McFadden began.

“I think that the Johnny Sexton v. Finn Russell debate has been put to bed. It certainly has been put to bed today, and I don’t really know if there was a debate, for me, leading into it. Just with how Johnny managed the game. Even that moment in the second half where it looked like Scotland were… they had enough time to get properly back into it. They had that penalty inside our half and he over-kicks it.”

Russell had two costly errors, with the game in the melting pot, in the space of 90 seconds, in the second half, before he left the game with 20 minutes to go.

Sexton, meanwhile, played a full 80 minutes again and landed that pressure kick to see Ireland home, 27-24. McFadden, Henry and former Munster winger Ronan O’Mahony all agree that his Lions Text XV chances have been massively helped by the outing.

CHRIS HENRY: Johnny is, by far, the coolest, calmest 10 around this spot. But Finn Russell, you have to give it to him. What he did today and those moments of magic he creates around him.

FERGUS MCFADDEN: Yeah, and I think it’s horses for courses. With the Johnny v. Finn Russell debate, I get it. Finn Russell does stuff that Johnny doesn’t do. But, again, if you’re going down to play South Africa, in South Africa, of course you want to have someone like Finn Russell, at a stage in the game. Do you want him starting? I look at it like that and I go, ‘Who’s the guy?’ and I think (Johnny) is. But, again, of course I think Finn should be a tourist, but that’s just my opinion. What do you think?

RONAN O’MAHONY: I don’t know Johnny too well. I’ve played against him and met him once or twice. You could probably speak better about this, Ferg, but from speaking to the lads that would play with him, what he brings, leading up to the game in the week’s training and what he brings to the side stands for itself. And he, more than likely, produces every time on the pitch. I think the standards and the details he brings every week, to get the team ready, and (being) in that position to play high level rugby is another key attribute.

CHRIS HENRY: And how many big moments, like today? That penalty kick. To kick that is not an easy one. But for Johnny Sexton, you just kind of expected that he was going to get it, didn’t you, because he’s had so much experience and he’s lived through so many of those massive moments. He’s just so important, still.

This weekend sees Ireland taking on England at the Aviva Stadium. If Sexton can help Ireland end their losing skid against Eddie Jones side, you can lock him in as a fellow traveller to Farrell and Robbie Henshaw, who rubber-stamped his call-up on Sunday.

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