Jamie Roberts has not been stirring his coffee mate, Jonathan Sexton, this week before Wales’s pivotal match against Ireland at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, instead preparing to grind down the fly-half and his team-mates on the way to a fourth Six Nations title in eight years.
Roberts and Sexton are team-mates at Racing Métro in Paris, although not for much longer with the latter rejoining Leinster and the former, who has a year left on his contract, reportedly on his way out, although he has yet to comment on the speculation. They were also Lions colleagues in Australia two years ago, playing alongside each other in the decisive third Test.
“Having been with Johnny in Paris, I have got a feel for what he wants out of his team,” said Roberts. “He is the commander-in-chief of their side, a very good and clever player we will need to stay a few seconds ahead of on Saturday.
“I remember the first time I played alongside him, for the Lions against the Waratahs: he was shouting his head off, it took me by surprise. He is an angry man!
“We are good mates now. He is a guy who demands high standards and there is nothing wrong with that, a good thinker about the game. I do a lot of training in Paris with him and we got out for a coffee. He has been exposed to a different environment and that is only going to improve you as a player, as he has in the last couple of years. I have not spoken to him this week and we will catch up after the match.”
Wales are back in the challenge for the title after losing their opening match to England, but defeat to Ireland would leave them among the also-rans and make Sexton’s team the clear favourites to retain the championship with a trip to Murrayfield to finish.
Roberts said he was still haunted by the 2009 match against the Irish in Cardiff when the visitors clinched a first grand slam in 61 years. “I’ll never forget that,” said Roberts. “It is one of the moments in your career that motivates you. Saturday promises to be a game that sticks long in the memory, win or lose, one of those big occasions that do not come around too often.
“We are up against the best team in Europe and since losing to England, every match has been a cup final for us. This is another one.
“Ireland have developed a formidable way of playing through the tactical kicking of their half-backs: they are happy to put up bombs in our 22 if they have to. It will be a contest between two teams who like to play a bit and who are desperate to win.
“There is always an edge to a game between Wales and Ireland, a Celtic love and hate thing. We are good mates off the field and on it there have been some great games with, on a personal note, more lows than highs, something I am keen to rectify.”
Roberts ensured Wales started strongly against France in the last round, storming his way over the gainline from the start, and the way he helped secure a home draw for Racing in the Champions Cup by laying waste to Northampton’s defence at Franklin’s Gardens in January makes it surprising the Paris club is looking to offload him, although Sexton’s replacement, Daniel Carter, will command a wage that requires cuts elsewhere.
“I would rather not comment on my future which is for another time,” said Roberts. “I am focused on Wales and the big contest against Ireland. It will be a case of who blinks first but also who dares wins. These matches are a game of chess and it will certainly be a thinking man’s game.”
