Johnny Sexton condemns racist abuse aimed at Edwin Edogbo after Ireland debut

The former Ireland captain backs rookie lock after racist trolling while fly-half rivalry intensifies ahead of Twickenham showdown

IRISH PRIDE: Ireland's Ronan Kelleher, Edwin Edogbo and Tadhg Beirne during the national anthems. Pic: Inpho

Johnny Sexton believes Edwin Edogbo has been unaffected by the online abuse aimed at the rookie lock following his Ireland debut but described the racist social media trolling as “horrible”.

The 23-year-old Cobh, Co. Cork native with Nigerian parentage made his Ireland debut off the bench against Italy last Saturday, an event celebrated by coaches, players and supporters at a sold-out Aviva Stadium as he was introduced with 10 minutes remaining in the 20-13 Guinness Six Nations victory and at post-match functions.

Both the IRFU and his province Munster marked their player’s debut with congratulatory social media postings but were then forced to switch off the comment facilities on their X platform accounts following racist comments against Edogbo. 

Data technology company Signify is working on the governing body’s behalf to identify the perpetrators and an investigation is ongoing.

Speaking to media following Ireland training on Tuesday ahead of Saturday’s Six Nations visit to Twickenham to face England, assistant coach Sexton said: "Look, it's horrible to see that in this day and age, (that) it still exists like that.

“In terms of how he is, he's good. I don't think he would have paid too much attention to it, and I don't know if he would have even seen too much of it. He's a pretty humble guy, really level-headed, but it's not right, some of the comments that were made.

“I feel for him, I feel for his family. It marred a pretty special day for him."

The former Ireland captain also addressed the ongoing competition for the starting fly-half position he dominated for a decade between 2013 and his retirement following the 2023. 

Ireland coach Johnny Sexton. Pic: Gavin Cullen/Inpho

Sam Prendergast had taken possession of it for much of 2024 after Jack Crowley had worn the number 10 jersey for the first nine Tests following Sexton’s retirement and their rivalry had led to some toxic commentary on social media directed at both players.

Head coach Andy Farrell railed against the “keyboard warriors” for the impact it was having on the pair in his post-match comments last Saturday night, having replaced Prendergast following the second of two missed conversions on 56 minutes with the score 10-10 and seen Crowley steer Ireland home to a 13-point victory with a performance that puts the Munster playmaker in pole position to start against the English this weekend.

Sexton would not be drawn on the selection decision ahead of Thursday’s team announcement but said: “Well, they both trained really well today. It’s important that not only those two but Harry Byrne and Ciaran Frawley, too, that they keep developing and getting game-time.

“So there are four guys and all the criticism from previous (World Cup) cycles is that we didn’t develop guys, that we have relied too heavily on one (player) in some positions. 

“So we’re doing it a different way now and whether that’s right or wrong, everyone judges it by the outcome but I know that in games to come, they’re going to hit their best form and they’ll be in a good place.” 

Ireland have just 14, perhaps 15 Tests before the warm-up matches leading into the 2027 World Cup in Australia but Sexton added the Irish management would not be rushed into putting all their efforts into a first-choice number 10 and that Frawley and Byrne were still in the mix alongside Crowley and Prendergast.

“All four are very good, they’ve all got their different strengths and as coaches I think we are trying to make sure that we have lots of options going to a World Cup, try and learn from previous cycles and make sure that we give them all a certain number of caps.

“We need to make sure that we see them perform in different pressurised situations, in different venues against different opposition and yeah, I’m sure it will be like that for the foreseeable.”