Director of rugby in South Africa, Rassie Erasmus, reckons they will have to be wakker for Johnny Sexton when they face the world’s top team Ireland on Saturday.
Sexton, 38, has been at the heart of alles wat mal is for the Irish for a number of years already and has been one of the best players in the world during this period.
Ahead of facing each other in a crunch Rugby World Cup Pool B encounter on Saturday, Erasmus says of the veteran Irish playmaker: “He is vital in my opinion. When I was at Munster, we beat them [Leinster, where Sexton plays] once.
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“Whenever Johnny is in the team a lot of things happen, not just as a player, I think the aura around him and his presence.
“For a man at 38 to score tries like he did this weekend... as long as he is physically out there, there is no doubt about [his influence].”
Erasmus adds: “The aura he has about him is exceptional, not just for his own team but very intimidating for us as the opposition.”
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