It's been eight months since Johnny Sexton made his move into coaching, so as the former Ireland and Leinster captain sat down for his first media duties since returning to the game, there was a lot to get through.
After a year of working in the real world following his retirement from playing in late 2023, his first steps into the coaching world came in November last year when he took a part-time role with Ireland for the Autumn Nations Series, and he juggled that position with his day job at the Ardagh Group during the Six Nations.
He’s clearly caught the coaching bug, because he’s now back in the game full-time, first with the British and Irish Lions on this summer’s tour of Australia, before becoming a permanent fixture in Andy Farrell’s Irish coaching ticket in August.
His fast-tracking to a Lions management role hasn't gone down well in some quarters, with suggestions Sexton's relative lack of coaching experience makes his appointment a risk.
And while he admits he has asked himself the same questions in recent months, it was an offer he couldn’t turn down.
"You always have those doubts. It’s no different now," Sexton said of entering the coaching pool at the deep end.
"You’re going in, you want to prove yourself, you want to show that you can bring value.
"As a player I would have always doubted myself throughout the years, whether it was coming into the Irish set-up for the first time or when you become a Lions for the first time, or Leinster.
"Yeah, it was something I considered when Andy picked up the phone, you’re kind of going 'wow’. It’s such an honour, how can you say no?
"Like, I didn’t pick myself. He asked me to come, I considered it for about 30 seconds and ultimately how could you [say no]? I’d have regretted it for the rest of my life. That’s it really."
The 39-year-old spoke openly for just under 30 minutes at UCD yesterday, as the Lions continued preparations for their warm-up match with Argentina on Friday, ahead of their departure for Australia next week.
Among the many topics covered was Ireland’s out-half situation, and the culture war that has divided Irish rugby since Leinster’s Sam Prendergast moved ahead of Munster’s Jack Crowley in the depth chart during the November window last year.
And Ireland’s record points scorer (below) revealed one big piece of advice he’s given both players in recent months.
"I told them to delete social media," he said.
"They’re so far ahead of where I was [at their age], for example and they’ve got the world at their feet with the work ethic that they have.
"They’re humble guys, they do want to learn, they want to practice hard and that’s the thing that you look at the most as a coach. You look at the attitude and how humble they are because ultimately that’s what will stand to them going forward.
"One thing I disagree with is some of the narrative around it. There’s obviously a split in the country in terms of Munster-Leinster and I’ve been there before. I’ve been in that situation and with social media getting bigger and bigger it’s tough on them at times and it shouldn’t be like that.
"We should be supporting whoever’s picked and getting fully behind them."
It remains to be seen which of the two will be first-choice 10 for Ireland by the time Sexton returns to the Ireland camp in November.
Neither player made the Lions tour, with Finn Russell, Fin Smith and Marcus Smith chosen ahead of the pair, and so they will again be contesting the starting out-half spot for Ireland’s July Tests against Georgia and Portugal next month.
It’s been a mixed season for both Crowley and Prendergast. Munster’s early season struggles saw Crowley lose his starting spot for Ireland and had limited game time at out-half during the Six Nations, but has since returned to the top of his game and secured a new lucrative contract at the province.
Prendergast’s early season form saw him touted as a strong Lions contender, even among pundits outside Ireland, but his defensive struggles have been evident in the second half of what’s been a busy season. Both players have also been inconsistent off the tee.
"All you can do is try and advise in terms of what worked for me," Sexton added.
"I was exposed to it [the scrutiny] a little bit at the very start and it's tough, isn't it?
"As a kid, as a seven, eight, nine, 10-year-old, all you want to do is play for Ireland and when you do it, suddenly you're getting criticised. Not all the time, but sometimes, and it's kind of, 'wow, this is a bit tougher than I thought it was going to be’.
"But it builds a resilience. You find out who are your mates, who are those that you trust and who are those that you can lean on. Going forward, I think they'll be stronger for it."
Having got to prepare with the Smiths – Marcus and Fin – during last week’s training camp in Portugal, Russell (above) joined up with the squad yesterday evening, after helping Bath to their first Premiership title in 29 years last Saturday.
Relations between the pair have been frosty in the past, with Sexton describing the Scotland out-half as the "darling of the media" in his autobiography last year, in relation to Russell being called up to the 2021 Lions tour ahead of Sexton.
Last year, before his return to coaching, Sexton also said he would bring England’s Owen Farrell on tour instead of the Bath 10.
Ultimately, Russell beat Farrell to one of the three out-half spots, and Sexton says the pair have already mended their relationship.
"It’s probably been blown out of proportion, really. I was talking about myself in 2021 and how I felt back then. And it was more really about what I thought [Warren] Gatland was thinking as opposed to what I was thinking.
"But look, you kind of have to deal with these types of challenges. It won’t be the last time. We had a handshake and a brief chat. He was racing off because those guys who were playing in finals didn’t stay too long. They came in, got their kit, did a little media and were gone.
"I’m looking forward to catching up with him later. What the Lions demands of you is that if there is a rivalry – which there’s not but if there was – you leave it at the door.
"I’m here to help him now. I’m here to give him experiences. I’m here to answer questions. I’m not here to force myself on him or tell him what to do. It’s not that relationship. I’m here to help.
"The thing about me is I’m an inexperienced coach but I’ve probably seen it all, rugby-wise: I’ve been bad, I’ve been dropped, I’ve been not picked, I’ve been injured.
"My career has been like this [up and down]. Being here to help those guys if they’ve a bad game, if they’ve a tough game, being able to help them out, pick them up is something that I’m quite passionate about and I’m here to help."
