In his latest O2 Rugby blog, Jonathan Sexton talks about the hard work he has been putting in at kicking practice and how the squad’s latest golfing get-together panned out.
When you have the responsibility for place-kicking on a team you have to take the rough with the smooth. You get the kudos when things go well and when they don’t you have to take it on the chin.
Everyone wants to play from the start but you have to respect the decisions that are made for the right reasons. It’s about the team, not the individual.
I have worked really hard on a technical flaw in my place-kicking and this week I feel like I have turned the corner. In the USA match, I kicked well in the warm-up but the two kicks I missed in the first half were down to the wind changing direction from the way it had been blowing prior to the match.
They both missed right but in the second half I tried to compensate and pulled the ball left. That’s when an old issue resurfaced of me dipping my body in my routine.
It’s been identified and I couldn’t be happier in terms of the way I have been kicking in practice. I’m happy with my general game and if I’m called upon on Sunday I’ll be ready to go.
Once again golf has been the focal point away from the training pitch with the scramble the format of choice. Normally we have the best of everything when (our team manager) Paul McNaughton is in charge. Once he’s playing you know it’s going to be a really good course because he loves his golf.
This week though there were issues with regards to buggies, and also clubs. The guys were nicking clubs from each other. At one point I had four drivers and two putters, and ROG (Ronan O’Gara) was left with just five clubs in his bag at one point.
We finished on six under, one behind two teams who tied on seven under. Brian O’Driscoll, Rob Kearney, Andrew Trimble and Shane Jennings were one team – Jenno was basically a glorified caddie for the rest as they sent him up ahead to check out any blind shots.
They were joined in the winners’ enclosure by a five-man team – Eoin Reddan, Geordan Murphy, Paddy Wallace, Cian Healy and Sean Cronin.
Cronin and Healy come as a package based on their golfing ability, let’s just say they’re long on perspiration! It’s been a good week and now we just want to round it off on Sunday in positive fashion.
Related Links –
Jonathan’s blogs are on www.O2.ie/rugby.
Jonathan’s Blog: This Kind Of Support Lifts You
Follow the Ireland team in New Zealand on www.twitter.com/irfurugby.
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