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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Michael Scully

Caelan Doris hails Johnny Sexton's influence as 'like having a coach on the pitch' ahead of England v Ireland

Caelan Doris has hailed Johnny Sexton's 'birds eye' view of the game - a quality that was reinforced when he came on against Italy.

Sexton was returning from the hamstring injury that forced him out of the defeat to France and immediately improved careless Ireland's attack against the 13-man Azzurri team.

"His ability to see things on the pitch is crazy really," said Doris, in the wake of Sexton's new contract that brings him up to the World Cup.

"It’s like he has a birds eye view of everything - whether it’s seeing only one man in a breakdown or your line of running over on the other side of the pitch to him, he seems to see everything and is able to feed back.

"Just playing Italy was like having another coach on the pitch all the time. With me he’s been big on lines of running, trying to be square and not showing your hands too quickly in terms of if you are going to pass or going to carry. Different things like that.

"Then what he does pre and post training is plan around how he is going to get better and work on different parts of his game. Bits and pieces around that area so he’s been a pretty helpful hand in all."

Sexton's Leinster and Ireland team-mate Doris believes Sexton's experience is vital to the other out-halves in the squad.

"It’s great to have him," he said.

"For the other 10s as well, for his experience, and he’s great for them to learn off, so it's not only his own playing ability but also what he can teach the younger 10s and all of the younger players, really."

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