Johnny Sexton proving doubters wrong

Whether it is opponents declaring their intention to exploit his supposed weaknesses or critics doubting he can last the tour, Johnny Sexton has enjoyed proving them wrong on this Lions tour.

The Ireland playmaker who helped engineer the Lions’ famous victory over the All Blacks in Wellington last Saturday was not meant to have survived to this point of the New Zealand tour, let alone be the man to steer Warren Gatland’s side into a series decider with the world champions.

Four years after strutting onto the tour to Australia and guiding Warren Gatland’s side to a much-needed series victory over the Wallabies, Sexton arrived in New Zealand low on confidence and short on gametime after a stop-start season with Leinster, his position as alpha fly-half adopted by England’s Owen Farrell, who had been very much the young apprentice in 2013.