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Team-mate has one reservation over Johnny Sexton role in Ireland camp

Jonathan Sexton and Ireland head coach Andy Farrell during an Ireland Rugby open training session at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. (Photo By Harry Murphy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Andy Farrell’s decision to draft Johnny Sexton into the Ireland camp in a mentoring role was one that caught his former team-mate Tommy Bowe by surprise, who wonders if it is too soon after the legendary fly-half retired.

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The 69-cap former Ireland wing has no doubt that Sexton will be an “amazing asset” to Irish rugby and regards his rugby knowledge as “second to none,” but has nevertheless queried whether he has returned while his successors are trying to move out of his shadow.

Ireland’s three fly-halves in their squad have a combined 22 caps, so there is a noticeable lack of experience in the post-Sexton era, who boasted 118 caps for his country and a further six for the British and Irish Lions, with his last coming in the 2023 World Cup quarter-final exit to Friday’s opponents New Zealand.

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      While having such an experienced and iconic figure mentoring the team over the next month could prove invaluable, Bowe is curious to see how the dynamic will work.

      Speaking to RugbyPass at Canterbury’s launch of the 2025 Lions jersey, Bowe, a five-cap Lion himself, said it is up to Farrell to get the best out of Sexton in camp.

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      “He’s a player with such a high rugby IQ,” the 2009 and 2013 Lions tourist said. “Johnny could pull out a play that we would have ran in the 14th minute in the match in 2018, I mean his ability and rugby knowledge is second to none.

      “For Andy Farrell to want to harness that and bring that back into camp, I’m not surprised with. But at the same time, because he’s still so close to the team, I am surprised because if you’re a Jack Crowley or Ciaran Frawley or Sam Prendergast, you want to write your own story and not to have it always about Johnny Sexton.

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      “So it’s going to be interesting to see how that dynamic works in that they don’t feel like they have Johnny looking over their shoulder and how can Andy Farrell use Johnny to his strengths to try and progress and bring on these players.

      “So it’s a really interesting move and I was surprised to see it, but I know that Johnny will be an amazing asset to Irish rugby. It’s just how do they bring out the best of him and use him to encourage these young guys to bring out the best of them.”

      It is unknown whether Sexton influenced Ireland’s selection for their opening match of the Autumn Nations Series against the All Blacks on Friday, but Farrell has stuck with Crowley at fly-half despite the growing pressure from Frawley.

      Bowe is expecting a tight affair at the Aviva Stadium, but is backing his compatriots to get the job done.

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      “I do think Ireland will win,” he said. “They have such a strong record at home, but I think it’s going to be a lot tighter than a lot of people think.”

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      Comments

      8 Comments
      T
      TT 158 days ago

      That's the self deluding thing about misplaced ego...

      Quote Sexton,

      I couldn’t bring myself to watch the quarterfinal back. I don’t think I ever will. I don’t need to.

      and

      Whitelock goes in for the poach, clearly without releasing, but somehow Wayne Barnes awards him the penalty, even though it has all happened under his nose

      ... from some who just stated he has & probably never will watch the replay.... Strange that. 🤣


      Clearly Whitelock wasn't part of the tackle & only went in OVER going for the ball.


      Nice try Sexton. Again.


      Go on. Watch the replay Sexton. Oh & I, & most AB fans would like to watch you watch it ... then you're silence (only kidding, it's Sexton).

      M
      MC 158 days ago

      Bad omen, RWC disappointed what a load of nonsense. Guy's if you can't make unbiased and informed comments, why bother waste everyone's time with your poop.

      B
      Bull Shark 158 days ago

      How else will we ventilate our dislike of Johnny Sexknot?

      B
      BK 158 days ago

      he's an RWC disappointment - why bring him for a new cycle

      T
      Timmyboy 158 days ago

      Way too soon. Quite surprised they’ve done that!

      B
      Bull Shark 158 days ago

      you want to write your own story and not to have it always about Johnny Sexton.

      Cough. Cough.


      I’m not sure having the guy who cost you the last game you lost to the ABs in the side as a consultant is a hot idea. Poor timing.


      6 Nations. Maybe. This is a bad omen for the Irish.


      Upgrading my prediction from ABs by 1 point to ABs by 5 points.

      T
      TT 158 days ago

      Ignore him.


      Carry on.


      You evenly bag any non-Bok.


      Keep it up.


      We love it.


      A person of common sense you are.


      He's a meany.

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      J
      JW 1 hour ago
      How key Waratahs playmakers could reshape Joe Schmidt's Wallabies backline

      Yeah like a classic comedy show, not too different to how he went at the same venue last year? Perhaps there’s something about that latitude that puts his equilibrium off?


      The rush on Jo was fine though, you’d catch most players out with Dmacs ex3cution of it. There were actually quite a few instances like that, not too dissimilar to that Bledisloe game actually, were things just didn’t work out for no luck of trying to skill. I laughed when Dmac took himself out of that try and basically gifted it to them by trying to bowl over Kellaway was perhaps the most comical.


      Actually now you say that, yes, very reminiscent of Aus v England wasn’t it. The two changes at halves have been instrumental for me. Not that the first two weren’t playing well, but these two seem to pair up better, with everyone. Like you say with those sorts of counter attack plays, they are on instinct and that stuff needs to be shared with everyone. That’s another thing too I was thinking, in that respect guys returning can be a hinderance to a team playing well, but I might have just thought that because I wasn’t sure (hadn’t seen much) which of NSWs midfields were best suited where.


      I’m very similar in my TMO preference as well. I had actually said to myself several times already this season (SR here) that they are pretty bullish basically telling the ref what theyve seen as fact. If I remember rightly it even happened a few times in November and some of the refs then said “no, I’m actually happy with that.” etc. But very tough on Maybe (I think) who probably has plss poor vision on the big screen to say anything otherwise, so yes, definitely just make it an offer to look and also communicate ‘why’ precisely to the ref, and (just like he does to the players) he can even say to the TMO “no I was happy how I saw it live, I don’t need a replay thanks” etc. He started like that I think, “I’d like to review a simultaneous grounding” but then yes, he took over after. Of course in the refs minds, it’s the right call, thoughts how it’s always been ref’d, even when theres a good few frames in the slowmo that actually show ball obviously hitting grass first (which they didn’t in this game), they’ve always ruled that (like in cricket) if the ball continues to then be ground on the line after (or in the same frame in this example) they always gone ‘dead ball’. The new SR committee apparently what to making the line the attacking teams so they award the try’s instead of taking them away, but just like I said with them not wanting to look closely at the first forward pass (like they did for the Chiefs try), I don’t want random JRLO level decisions, and giving the line to the attacking team is just going to make clear no trys, a try instead. It’s exactly the same result.

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      t
      tonirobinson362 2 hours ago
      Geoff Parling: An Englishman roasting the Lions?

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