He was their beating heart – the man whose incessant desire to win and be better drove everything around him. Asked to assess how he thinks Ireland have made the transition to playing without Sexton, All Blacks assistant coach Jason Holland said: “I think really well. They have obviously been in the environment for a long time, in and out, but they have slotted into the way Ireland play and they understand winning footy and Ireland play winning footy. Whereas Ireland have leaned into the next generation, the All Blacks have worked with the 29-year-old Damian McKenzie and 33-year-old Beauden Barrett. All Blacks v Ireland, Saturday 9.10amLive commentary on Newstalk ZB, Gold Sport and iHeartRadio.

Source: The Herald November 05, 2024 20:32 UTC