Stephen Ferris exclusive on Johnny Sexton greatness
Paddy Morgan sits down with 2009 Grand Slam winner Stephen Ferris.
Johnny Sexton made his Irish debut against Fiji in 2009 and impressed immediately as he scored 16 points in his first game. Sexton has played 113 games with Ireland which includes winning two 6 Nations Grand Slams in 2018 and 2023. Sexton made history against England at the Aviva Stadium in 2023 as he became the highest ever point scorer in the 6 Nations Championship.” he is an unbelievable driving force in Irish rugby and he will go down in many people’s eyes arguably as Ireland’s best ever player”.
Sexton’s glittering career also includes winning the Champions Cup four times with Leinster. Leinster will play Toulouse in the semi-final of 2022/2023 Champions Cup. “Ross Byrne is going to play majority of the games for Leinster in the run in because of Johnny Sexton groin injury”. Sexton will need to use his experience from the side-line as he looks to win silverware in his final season at Leinster.
Ferris is optimistic that Ulster will finish the season strong in United Rugby Championship. “a successful season is silverware and I think with the squad they have if they were able to give us another good day out a semi-final or a final in the URC would be great”. Ulster are currently two points behind second placed Stormers in the URC with just two more games to go before the play-offs. “it would be class if Ulster get into the top two somehow and make sure they have a home semi-final at the Kingspan Stadium at Ravenhill in Belfast”.
Ferris is happy with the Ireland squad especially in the full back position. “I think in years gone by there is always been a good Irish team like 15 to 20 players that you could rely on every week but now if Hugo Keenan goes down there is four of five different choices that Andy Farrell can slip in there”. Ireland manager Andy Farrell picked a 37 man squad for 2023 6 Nations. “we always had a big squad but it’s just the quality of the squad is much greater now than it has been in previous years”.
Ireland returned to number one in the World Rugby Rankings after a test series win against New Zealand in 2022. “Ireland have been very good with having the underdog tag but that’s long gone now and I think we are a much better team with sitting at the top of the tree”. Ireland have beaten South Africa, Australia, Wales, France and England all in the last 12 months. “it’s great that they are able to do that it makes viewing a bit better”.
Ireland are currently on a 11 game unbeaten streak at the Aviva Stadium. “Ireland seem to be taken over this All-Blacks sort of mentality of been unbeatable but now it seems like Ireland are stepping into those shoes”. Ireland will be potentially still ranked number one in World Rugby Rankings when the 2023 Rugby World Cup starts in September. “Ireland will relish the favourites tag going into the World Cup”.
Ferris is disappointed that Freddie Stewart received a red card from referee Jaco Peyper at Aviva Stadium. “no it was definitely the wrong decision absolutely the wrong decision as his red card was rescinded”. Ferris is hopeful that the rugby will do the talking at this year’s World Cup and not bad decisions by a referee. “it’s not only one referee, that we have now there is touch judges, linesman or women, we have a TMO, we have 100 different camera angles and hopefully when we go into the World Cup in France this September we will not be talking about referees after the tournament”.
Ireland have a difficult group in 2023 World Cup in having to play both South Africa & Scotland and will play either New Zealand or France in the quarter-final. “they have shown all of us over the last numerous of years in the big games that they don’t take a backward step and I believe that Ireland are capable in beating any side in the competition”.
Ferris looks back on a special season with Ulster in 2006. “I managed to get my hands on it during that season and we won the Magners League which is the last piece of silverware that Ulster has won”.
Ferris was a part of 2009 Ireland team that won the Grand Slam which included a drop goal kick from Ronan O’ Gara to win the game late on against Wales. “yeah probably not at the time I think I was just caught up in the moment of getting the result which was a big win in a Grand Slam decider away in the Millennium Stadium”. 2009 was the first time that Ireland won the Grand Slam since 1948.
It was an absolute pleasure that I had the opportunity to sit down with former Ulster and Ireland back-row Stephen Ferris. I wish Stephen all the best in his punditry role as part of RTE Sport for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in September.