CONNACHT’S LONGEST SERVING player Tiernan O’Halloran says that Johnny Sexton’s younger brother has been a revelation since stepping up from the academy to coach the senior side this season.
Mark Sexton, two years younger than the retired Irish skipper, is Connacht’s assistant attack and skills coach this season under Pete Wilkins.
It’s the latest role for Sexton, whose playing career was impacted by a broken leg when he was 16 but who now has almost a decade of coaching under his belt, including the Irish U-20s this year.
O’Halloran, who was in many Irish training camps with Johnny Sexton, sees the strong similarity between the brothers.
“It’s been really enjoyable and it has been tough! Mark, like his brother, is a fiery character,” said O’Halloran. “They are similar enough. But I think it’s good, he demands high standards similar to what Johnny always did and I think that rubs off on all of us.
“At the start he was probably a small bit surprised at how quiet we were at times when we made mistakes and not pulling each other up, whereas now we are very much on top of each other, again in a positive way, trying to help each other out, demanding higher standards, demanding quality.
“I think that has been really good, that Mark has been driving. Just little small details around shapes we are running, it is a good bit different from last year. It’s probably easier for younger lads coming in because they were probably with Mark in the academy and knew what he wanted but for some of the older lads like myself there was a bit of adjustment because obviously you build up habits over the years so I’ve had to kind of tweak them and learn them and that’s what that long preseason was good for.
“But it’s been really good, really enjoyable and really challenging at times. Don’t get me wrong you have a go back at him at times but you know what he is trying to do and it’s for the good of the team.”
Sexton wasn’t in the side on any of the occasions when O’Halloran won his six Irish caps but he sees plenty in his new skills coach to remind him of the retired Irish skipper.
“I didn’t actually play with Johnny but I was in camp many times with him over the years and you get to know his characteristics and mannerisms and he always wanted world class standards and in fairness Mark is very similar to that,” added O’Halloran.
The 32-year old from Clifden won the first of his 223 Connacht caps way back in October 2009 and is still enjoying his rugby as much as ever in his 15th season with his native province.
“I have always been excited to come in here and I think the day I don’t I won’t be playing rugby any more. It’s a matter of balance, mentally being in the right place and physically getting your body prepped for the season as well. Thankfully I haven’t had any terrible injuries that I haven’t been able to get back from and that’s thanks to the great medical staff here as well,” he added.
