Ireland playmakers lack Sexton's quality

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SPOTLIGHT: Ireland's chances of an unprecedented third successive Six Nations title are hindered by flyhalf options that are "a distance away from being Grand Slam winning playmakers" Irish rugby great Hugo MacNeill told AFP.

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MacNeill's concern mirrors that of many Irish fans who mourn the retirement of icon Johnny Sexton after the 2023 World Cup.

The 66-year-old former fullback has no such worries about the ability of Simon Easterby to slot in as interim head coach with Andy Farrell absent owing to his being in charge of the British & Irish Lions for their tour of Australia.

"He [Easterby] is a soft spoken decent guy," MacNeill told AFP by phone on Wednesday.

"He has a huge amount of credibility and has the respect of the players.

"Ireland have been up there for the past few year and are there to be shot at.

"He will want to maintain their challenge and to make his mark.

"He won't want to make Andy Farrell an issue so Ireland have got to go out there and win."

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The Irish begin their bid to make history at home to Easterby's country of birth England on Saturday - the only side to beat them in last year's championship.

The hosts had a mixed series of November Tests, losing to New Zealand before winning the next three, and save against Fiji not with any great conviction.

This for MacNeill highlights the lack of authority at flyhalf and the inability as yet for anyone to be regarded as the heir to Sexton.

The 25-year-old Jack Crowley looked to be number one after playing in all five of their Six Nations matches and in the drawn series with world champions South Africa.

However, Sam Prendergast at just age 21 forced his way into the reckoning and started their last Test against Australia, although Crowley came on later and guided the Irish to victory.

"The options at flyhalf are for the moment a distance away from being Grand Slam winning playmakers," said MacNeill.

"Crowley has not come on as much as I would have hoped and Prendergast is still a young player.

"None of the flyhalves we have talked about, and I am sorry to sound like a broken record as this was my concern last year, have stamped their mark on the position."

Much has been made of Prendergast's ability to see openings where others do not but MacNeill is not yet convinced.

"Sam Prendergast had an average game for Leinster against Bath earlier this month, he was just not in control of the game," said MacNeill.

"There was a very strong Leinster pack but we were not seeing any coherent backplay."

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MacNeill says it is perhaps expecting too much of the young generation as both Sexton and his predecessor Ronan O'Gara were 'one in a generation players'.

However, MacNeill, a key member of two Triple Crown-winning sides in 1982 and 1985, said by being so it spurred on their teammates, who "did not want to let them down".

MacNeill, who as he spoke to AFP was waiting to see whether it was third time lucky and he had been elected to the Irish Senate, said he was sure captain Caelan Doris will fill the leadership vacuum that Sexton had left.

"Doris will develop into that leadership role," he said.

"However, he also needs others to fill the role too, to be there when he needs advice.

"Garry Ringrose and Bundee Aki are very good players but they are not leaders in the mould of Johnny Sexton."

England may have had a tough 2024 - they won just five of their 12 Tests - but MacNeill says Irish fans should not be complacent.

"People got spoilt here by seeing Ireland and Leinster winning the vast majority of their games," he said.

"It is a bit crazy the crowd going along thinking Ireland are guaranteed to win.

"If England can start well, get a couple of scores that will mute the crowd and their travelling supporters will be in full voice.

"It could get very tricky."