Best concerned about Ireland's dependence on Sexton

Former Ireland stalwart Rory Best has expressed concern over how much the national team still seem to depend on the abilities of legendary flyhalf Johnny Sexton.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Best, who notched up 124 international caps during his 14-year career, alluded to the notion that too much of Ireland’s success hinges on whether Sexton is marshalling them on the pitch.

“I definitely don’t think we are any less dependent. We might have been less dependent on Johnny about six or seven years ago than we are now.

“There’s a combination of things. Joey’s (Carbery) injuries haven’t helped, since the last World Cup. I think Johnny has played some of his best ever rugby he has ever played and then we have a lot of young guys who aren’t getting enough gametime, starting at ten in big games. 

“I don’t know if we are necessarily any closer to finding cover for Johnny,” Best continued. “I think if anything Johnny has widened the gap by the way he is playing and the way he is leading. Which is always a worry and this Six Nations it will be interesting to see; is it about a Grand Slam, and a Championship and really ramming home that momentum we have built over the past couple of years?

“Or is it a scenario where we actually say, ‘we are going to try to fill a couple of holes around Furlong, around Sexton, and we are going to put them on the bench to give us a safety blanket, we know we have them.’

 “But we have got to find out who are the next people to come in there. And that is a question that is going to be answered over the next couple of months and it will be a question that Andy will know the answer to now himself.

“Ultimately, that is the decision and the strategy that has to be made.”