Mike Ruddock: Ex-Wales coach says home players 'will all be told' to target Sexton

Respective captains Alun Wyn Jones and Johnny Sexton both go into Sunday's game having had injuries this season

Ex-Wales coach Mike Ruddock believes the targeting of Ireland fly-half and captain Johnny Sexton will be a big part of the home team's game plan in Sunday's Six Nations game in Cardiff.

The Ireland playmaker has come in for heavy and occasionally late hits from opposing players throughout his career.

Ruddock says the directive to stifle Sexton will not be just confined to the Welsh back row.

"I think they'll all be told to try and get a shot in on him," added Ruddock.

"Hold him down as long as you can in the rucks to stop him getting back in the play to organise the Irish team."

'Whoever wins I celebrate away'

However, the Wales Grand Slam-winning coach from 2005 believes Sexton will not be in the least bit surprised by the opposition's attempt to disrupt his game.

"That's one of the tactics us Welsh boys have used over the years," Ruddock told BBC Radio Ulster's Sportsound.

"As a former back-rower myself, we'd always be looking to get a shot in on the outside-half, but I think it will be something that is a domino effect all the way through the team."

With his son and Leinster back-row forward Rhys in Ireland's Six Nations squad, and wife Bernadette a proud Irishwoman, Ruddock admits he always has divided loyalties for this fixture.

"Whoever wins, I just reverse my scarf and I celebrate anyway," joked the former Wales and Leinster coach, now development director at Ospreys.

"Our Irish links are massive. I can flip with the wind and certainly with the result."

Ex-Wales coach Ruddock says Wayne Pivac will be "desperate" to guide his side to victory

Ruddock feels the absence of the passionate Welsh fans inside the stadium because of the Coved-19 pandemic gives Ireland a potential boost, but added that the experienced home side will be fired up after an underwhelming beginning to coach Wayne Pivac's reign.

"It's pretty daunting when you've got a passionate crowd really cheering Wales on so I think that should help Ireland a little bit but I also think it's a very experienced Welsh team so it will be a hell of a game," he added.

"If you look at both sides, there have stayed with experience. The Welsh team has a combined totally of 874 caps which makes it the most experienced Welsh team to ever start an international.

"That tells you where Wayne Pivac is. He's desperate for the win. He's under a lot of pressure in Wales.

"[Ireland coach] Andy Farrell is not under as much pressure but all of us international coaches or former international coaches always have felt an amount of pressure.

"Ireland haven't won there (in the Six Nations) since 2013 so if he [Farrell] does come unstuck, suddenly the pressure comes off Wayne Pivac and onto the Irish camp."