Johnny Sexton was saying during the week he wasn’t thinking about it. “I want to win the game, I want to progress further in the competition and that is the only thing going through my head at the moment,” said the Irish captain.
But hey, did you see that celebration, the jump, the hands raised, the punch in air after he sailed over for a try late in the first half. Then, all his teammates piling on to give his head a rub. No, nobody was thinking of Ronan O’Gara’s record, were they?
There were more arcane rugby matters in Ireland’s second match in France, but records don’t happen that often and not in World Cups. Sexton started the match just nine points off his predecessor O’Gara’s record mark of 1,083 overall points for Ireland after scoring 24 in last week’s opening 82-8 rout of Romania.
Tonga seemed ripe to refurbish the record and it all began after seven minutes with an Irish penalty. Easy kick, it left Sexton six points off the number.
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On 21 minutes Tadhg Beirne’s try under the posts was another easy one, a conversion this time and Sexton was down to four points away. Thoughts were he would kick a few more penalties or conversions and that would be that. And with the Caelan Doris try five minutes later, Sexton’s 40m kick with a 46 degree angle looked meat and veg for him – it was.
After Mack Hansen glided over from the right wing and punched in-field for a try close to the posts, Sexton again stood up and kicked the conversion for his ninth point of the match to equalise the 1,083 O’Gara tally.
Another kick people were thinking. But no, not this time. It was Garry Ringrose who set the ball in motion, putting Sexton through at pace. The Irish captain had to step to avoid a Tongan defender and almost bump into Ringrose. But no damage done, Sexton sailed in and under the posts and into the history books.
He converted his own try to go seven points clear and raise the record to 1,090 points, at which time coach Andy Farrell believed his playmaker had enough for one evening – Ross Byrne coming out in the second half to take over the controls at outhalf.
Earlier this year Sexton also became the leading points scorer in Six Nations history, finishing what was his last Championship with 566 points – and again, he had claimed the record from his predecessor in the Ireland number 10 jersey, O’Gara.
Last night at Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes was a timely occasion to make the readjustment with South Africa coming up for the next match in Paris. The distraction of a personal record within the team environment is now put to bed. Sexton wouldn’t be what he is without driving ambition. The record is something. His reaction showed that.
One of the outstanding players in Irish rugby deserved his moment.
