In at the deep end but Sexton out to bring value to Farrell's Lions camp

Sexton hopes that with Ireland "there will be a bit more of that responsibility" to his role in the future. 

Jamison Gibson-Park and assistant coach Jonathan Sexton. Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan

It took all of 30 seconds for Johnny Sexton to jump into the deep waters of elite coaching with Ireland and the British & Irish Lions but the fly-half legend thinks he would have regretted it for the rest of his life if he had not dived in.

Twenty months after turning his back on rugby when he hung up his boots at the end of the 2023 World Cup and began life in the business world, Sexton was speaking at University College Dublin on Monday as an assistant to Lions head coach Andy Farrell. The Lions, now complete with the arrival of a victorious 12-strong Leinster contingent following Saturday’s URC title victory, and three English Premiership finalists from champions Bath and runners-up Leicester Tigers, are almost up to their full complement ahead of Friday night’s non-Test international and pre-tour warm-up against Argentina at Aviva Stadium.