Johnny Sexton Joey Carbery Andy Farrell Harry Byrne Jack Carty Billy Burns Jack Crowley Ross Byrne France Ireland Sport Rugby on Johnny Sexton Joey Carbery Andy Farrell Harry Byrne Jack Carty Billy Burns Jack Crowley Ross Byrne France Ireland

Best admits he's worried by Irish reliance on Sexton

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Rory Best fears Ireland are more reliant on veteran out-half Johnny Sexton now than they were in the run-up to the last World Cup.Influential skipper Sexton underwent surgery on a cheekbone injury at the start of the month but is expected to be selected when Andy Farrell names his Guinness Six Nations squad on Thursday.More than 13 years on from his Test debut, the 37-year-old Leinster player remains his country's undisputed first-choice for the number 10 role, with this year's autumn World Cup in France fast approaching.Joey Carbery, Jack Carty, Ross Byrne, Harry Byrne, Billy Burns, Ciaran Frawley and Jack Crowley have each been handed opportunities to deputise during the tenure of head coach Farrell.Yet retired hooker Best believes former international team-mate Sexton has widened the gap to his rivals and admits the lack of competition is "a worry"."I definitely don't think we're less dependent; we were probably less dependent on Johnny about six or seven years ago than we are now," said the ex-Ireland captain."I think there's a combination of things.

Joey's injuries haven't helped since the last World Cup, while Johnny has played some of the best rugby he's ever played, and then we've got a lot of young guys who aren't getting a lot of game time, starting 10 in big games."There's plenty of URC [United Rugby Championship] experience there and as we've sort of seen, I think in the URC there's unfortunately a gulf between the top and bottom teams, it's too big."I don't know that we're necessarily any closer to finding cover for Johnny.

If anything Johnny has widened the gap by the way he's playing and in the way he's leading, which is always a worry."Ireland start the Six Nations as favourites on the back of a stellar

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