Killer instinct and precision: Which young star is poised to become Australia's long term No.10?

When I proposed Australian rugby approximate Irish rugby in style and teaching over the next ten years, a wise reader asked: “Who is our Johnny Sexton?” Another queried: “What is a Johnny Sexton?”

A sexton is the custodian of sacred objects; the keeper of graves and artifacts in old churchyards. At 37, Sexton is the sexton of Irish rugby: he was Man of the Match in his first Test and the Man in his last, to win the Triple Crown. A groin injury is a threat to Sexton’s quest to bury the Irish hex of having the quarters be their final match in each World Cup.

A Johnny Sexton is a generational playmaker, one who defines an era, supplants a great one (Ronan O’Gara) and exceeds him (in points, in accomplishment, in leadership, in stature); an extra coach on the pitch, a demanding presence, with uncanny drone-like vision, a mind eager for the big moment, killer instinct, precision in his tasks, and an indomitable desire to win it all.

He has one more box to tick, one more bank to rob, one more war to win, one more job to do: beat Scotland or South Africa, France or New Zealand, England or Australia, and one of those yet again, but also stay healthy.

Ireland’s Jonathan Sexton celebrates after the Guinness Six Nations match at Aviva Stadium, Dublin. Picture date: Saturday March 18, 2023. (Photo by Brian Lawless/PA Images via Getty Images)

His nation will follow the fortunes of his groin, closely. Is it a diplomatic sabbatical or a problem? Crooked crutch or crocked crotch?

So, then, the first question: who is Australia’s Sexton? Or closest to it?

Perhaps I should ask a subordinate question: can the Wallabies copy Ireland without a Sexton prototype?

Rugby Australia can certainly build a more Irish system of early talent recognition, academy excellence, high performance tending to elusion over collision dominance, central contracts, diminished parochialism and team characteristics of ultra-fit self-disciplined thinking sportsmen.

But the Wallabies, to rise to number one in the world, using an Irish way of max-phase, short-pass, clean ruck, no-time-on-the-floor, low-penalty rugby, need a Sexton 10. A healthy Sexton has coincided with almost all of the Irish highs and the stumbles: a wounded general.

He is the nerve centre of the operation; he is wrapped around every scheme and every angle.

Is there a proven Sexton in the Wallaby camp?

No.

The best Australian flyhalf, Quade Cooper, is more of a Finn Russell. In this year’s Six Nations, Russell completed 7 offloads (third most), made 3 try assists (tied for most) and ‘led’ the tournament in 11 turnovers conceded. Cooper and Russell will go down as wonderfully talented tens in their era, but not the three-time World Player of the Nominee that Sexton is or big match winners ‘boring’ Handre Pollard or Dan Biggar were.

Can Cooper be more of a sexton this year, if his Achilles cooperates? Yes, he can play a field general role, as was famously seen in 2022 versus Pollard and the Springboks in Queensland. But he is in the twilight of a gunslinging career: he will be mentor more than the Man.

The second best Aussie ten in the last ten years is either Bernard Foley or James O’Connor. Foley is the more sextonish of the two but is smaller than the 6 foot 2, 96 kg Leinsterman, and less of a leader.

O’Connor is a makeshift flyhalf; a back with superb skills and innate courage. He may, by the end, have the longest span of caps in Australia, but he is on the home stretch of a brilliant but scattered career; he does not have Sexton’s manic focus and has come lately to mature leadership on a Test level.

Jonathan Jeremiah Sexton was not yet Johnny Sexton when he was 24. He had accuracy dips, O’Gara in his way, a bit of lip, and question marks. But, he persevered. He did not waver. He had his graying head bumped more than just about any flyhalf in history; stubbornly sticking it into tackles only flanks, Samoans and Afrikaners enjoy.

His wraparound became more of a turkey wrap as he flirted with middle age. His name and Tom Brady’s became synonymous in Irish punditry. The NFL notoriously uses the Wunderlich Test to assess young quarterbacks’ mental acuity in the draft; Sexton would surely ace it.

Durability is a skill unto itself. Tens like Morne Steyn or Beauden Barrett may be too stodgy (Steyn) for some or erratic (Barrett) for others, but they are ready to play every day.

So, who approximates Johnny in Australia now? Who could be leading the Wallabies from the pivot in 2031 at the American World Cup?

The candidates at the moment are Noah Lolesio, Carter Gordon, Jack Debreczeni, Tom Lynagh, Ben Donaldson, and Tane Edmed.

Lolesio has the softest hands, but is he hard enough? Sexton is hard as a hurling stick.

Gordon is a swashbuckler; but is that what the most penalised top ten Test team needs?

Carter Gordon. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Debreczeni is almost 30.

The rest are still trying to win caps.

Lolesio has had the most time in the national saddle. He is a quick player; but lacks the burning churning fire even early Sexton (leaving aside Peak Sexton) had: would he ever be much better than Foley?

Gordon has Russell Terrier written all over his flowing gold locks: one can easily envision him leading a Test tournament in turnovers and offloads, try assists and tries given away. He seems more Highlander than Paris-based Russell at first glance. Would Gordon play Irish enough?

Debreczeni is 29. He was an Australian Schoolboy flyhalf in 2011 and went to play for eight clubs. It is too late to discover his inner Johnny.

Ben Donaldson had a win over Italy  on his boot and not a terrible angle in 2022. He does not look comfortable under pressure, yet, and that is one thing that could not be said about Sexton, who won high school immortality with a drop goal to win the Cup, foreshadowing later midfield match winners. Donaldson will need to improve his mental side to win and keep the Wallaby 10 jersey.

The Reds prodigy Tom Lynagh has the obvious pedigree, like Sexton (the nephew of William Sexton, an Irish international) and is just 20. He may yet gain an inch or two and pack on a bit of muscle, or he too may become the next Bernard rather than the next Johnny. Still, he is worth the look and the investment.

But the most like-for-like ten to Sexton in Australia is the fiery son-of-a-prop Edmed, who will be 30 at the 2031 World Cup. He tackles more like Johnny than the rest, seems to relish pressure, has a bit of mongrel to his game, and attended a very Dublin sounding school: Trinity Grammar.

Spicy Edmed should have had the Tests of 2022 that mild Lolesio had: Noah does not look to be an Eddie Test match animal, whilst Edmed is a solid six footer who could slide over like Owen Farrell or Pollard with little problem.

Edmed or Lynagh or both: these are the best approximations of a Sexton.