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"Johnny obviously has the biggest balls on the planet, and he managed to kick it" Bundee
Aki says only a "world-class" operator like Johnny Sexton could have delivered in such
desperate circumstances at the Stade de France.
Aki's 6 Nations debut looked destined to end in crushing defeat on Saturday when Teddy
Thomas broke through for the game's only try in the 91st minute.
But Ireland had other ideas. After French replacement out-half Anthony Belleau missed a
crucial 78th minute penalty, the visitors replied with a remarkable 41-phase move that
culminated in Sexton's stunning 45 metre drop goal to settle it.
The 32-year-old knew he connected perfectly with his kick but there was concern on his
face as, for a fleeting moment, he wondered if he had the distance.
Realising that he had, Sexton whirled away in delight. Aki was closest to him.
NatWest 6 Nations Championship Round 1, Stade de France, Paris, France 3/2/2018
France vs Ireland Ireland's Johnny Sexton kicks the winning drop goal Mandatory Credit
©INPHO/James Crombie "It was a special one," said Aki.
"Johnny, I look up to him.
"He’s got a massive heart. To have that courage a fair way back to nail that kick, it’s only
world-class players step up, put their hands up and nail those big moments. And he sure
did.
"It just shows how much courage he has and how much confidence he has in himself.
"He obviously stood up there, put his hand up and nailed the kick.
"I think my first glance at it I just saw it go straight and it looked really good. We just turned
around and just followed him.
Johnny Sexton celebrates kicking the winning drop goal (Image: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland)
"My first 6 Nations, and no better way to finish than like that.
"Obviously, we haven’t hardly won here - and it’s tough to win here. To come out with that
win, that last drop goal was unbelievable. I’ll take everything and cherish it all.
"Obviously we’ve got a lot of things to work on, which is a good thing. We can only kick on
from there."
Aki explained the mindset that saw the men in green keep their nerve and go through phase
after phase, knowing that a single mistake would result in ref Nigel Owens blowing the final
whistle.
Ireland were staring down the barrel of making it three years on the spin without an opening
win in the championship.
"I don’t think there was any doubt at all," insisted Aki.
Johnny Sexton celebrates kicking the winning drop goal (Image: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan)
"There was a lot of belief from the boys. They trusted each other, and the process.
"The boys came in together in a huddle after that try and they just said, ‘Here, look we’ve
got five minutes to do it'. And you want to do it, to keep your hand up and keep going.
"Leaders just led and the young fellas just followed on.
"There was no chat at all. I think everyone just reacted. We tried to improve on people
acting first, taking the initiative and anticipating the game, and that’s exactly what happened.
"Fair play to our boys for holding on to the ball and having that resilience right through."
There was surely an element of payback in that drop goal for Sexton, who was targeted
when the sides met in Paris two years ago and whose two years at Racing 92 was injury-hit
and subsequently harshly judged by the French media.
His missed penalty on 62 minutes handed France an undeserved lifeline and they grabbed
it, with Teddy Thomas' converted try nine minutes later putting them in front for the first time.
The kick apart, Sexton played a central role in that vital last passage of play, measuring a
cross-kick out wide to Keith Earls that moved the visitors upfield when their progress had
stalled.
That he landed the drop goal from that distance and under that pressure was all the more