Ireland to 'lean on' Johnny Sexton for more than just out-half advice

Farrell’s squad is currently in the midst of a warm-weather training camp in Portugal. Sexton will link in when they return home and has already spent time with them having offered his two cents worth at the IRFU’s high-performance centre in Dublin last week.

Assistant coach Simon Easterby said Sexton will be “transitioning in and out” of camp through the upcoming November internationals and revealed that the players were thrilled to have their former captain back in the loop.

The understanding was that Sexton would assume an informal role in working with the young out-halves - Jack Crowley, Ciaran Frawley and Sam Prendergast have just 21 senior caps between them - but his brief will be more than that.

“Johnny has a wide amount of experience,” said Easterby. “We will lean on him for other things. He is excited about potentially what he can offer for us as coaches as well as players. It is great to have him in.

“He is a great man and a great personality in the group. I guess it is to be seen how much time he is involved in the next few weeks but certainly he has been in already and potentially he will come in and out of camp over the four weeks.” 

It’s a major change for Sexton who had spoken more than once about his reluctance to get into coaching and the particular issues that would come with coaching players with whom he had played alongside.

That he has been co-opted into a role that suits him and the team is another win for Farrell’s renowned people skills and his presence just in terms of those inexperienced out-halves is surely enough in itself to make this meeting of minds worthwhile.

“Johnny only retired recently and he still has his finger on the pulse in terms of playing in that position in particular, an understanding in what we do as a team and [he will] try to impart that experience he has had in the way we played the game.

“Jack Crowley has had time with us, so has Ciaran, Sam less so. All those guys are like sponges, they want to learn and understand and get know-how and then go out and put those things into practice. Johnny will just be able to give them a bit of guidance at times.

“When you are leaning on someone like him, with that amount of experience, it is only a few words here and there and a little bit of a tip and feedback, that’s all it might be.

“It’s something that we can do more of lean on guys who are not that long out of the game but also have massive respect and have a massive influence on the new lads coming through, especially in that position as a ten.” 

New Zealand will have played twice, against Japan and England, by the time Ireland start their own autumn schedule against the All Blacks in seven days’ time. More Kiwis will have banked game time this Saturday with their XVs side against Munster in Limerick.

If that leaves Farrell’s side at a slight advantage then it may be that the later start will suit the hosts at the Aviva Stadium given the injury issues carried by some players but which appear to have cleared up in most cases.

Peter O’Mahony returns to the park after injury for that All Blacks second-string game while Ireland were able to report a clean bill of health on the Algarve which is of particular importance given the concerns in recent weeks at hooker.

Dan Sheehan is a long-term absentee but it looks like Rónan Kelleher will be fit to face the All Blacks next week after recovering from injury while Rob Herring was another to take part in training on Thursday after his own recent inactivity.

Add in glad tidings on Connacht wing Mack Hansen and Farrell has plenty to be happy about as the first of four November ties approaches.