IT’S NOT THAT long ago that Johnny Sexton questioned Finn Russell’s credentials as a Lions out-half.

Pretty soon, the Irishman could be working directly with the Scottish playmaker on the Lions tour.

The ‘could’ there is based on whether Andy Farrell decides to bring Russell to Australia this summer. Farrell has already decided Sexton is coming.

The Lions boss knew that Sexton wanted in on this tour.

“When Andy got the job as Lions coach, I texted him and said, ‘If I play for my club, would you consider me?’” Sexton told The Times last October.

“He just wrote back, ‘No.’ So I’d say he’s glad to see the back of having to deal with me every day.”

Well, Farrell wasn’t glad to see the back of Sexton after his retirement as a player. In fact, he brought him back into the Ireland set-up last November. 

Now, just six months after starting work as a part-time coach, Sexton has been named as one of Farrell’s Lions assistant coaches. It is a remarkable rise that opens Farrell up to further criticism of making this Lions tour too Ireland-influenced.

Farrell had already named Ireland assistants Simon Easterby, Andrew Goodman, and John Fogarty in the Lions ticket, as well as Ireland’s head of athletic performance, Aled Walters, and head of analysis, Vinny Hammond. Seemingly, there could be further Irish backroom staff appointed in non-coaching roles.

The next World Cup takes place in Australia in 2027 and Farrell will now undoubtedly face jibes about using this Lions tour as preparation for that campaign with Ireland. 

Sexton had doubts about moving into coaching. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

He’s not one to worry about what people on social media are saying, but the unease about these developments will certainly extend beyond anonymous online posters. As we know, Farrell has a thick enough skin to deal with criticism. It will die down quickly now, but would obviously bubble back up aggressively if the Lions don’t perform in Australia.

Sexton’s lack of experience as a coach, combined with his massive profile, makes his inclusion more eye-catching than most.

For many assistant coaches, being included on a Lions tour is a pinnacle moment that has been earned through good times and bad times on their coaching journeys, some of them lengthy. This will rightly feel like a pinnacle moment for Sexton, a seriously proud honour, but he hasn’t had the coaching journey other Lions assistants have.

Of course, he isn’t like most coaches. He was World Rugby player of the year and captained Ireland to a Grand Slam. Farrell knows better than anyone how Sexton was like a player/coach throughout his career but particularly in the final stages when Farrell was his Ireland head coach. It also helps that Sexton has a strong perception of what makes Wallabies boss Joe Schmidt tick.

Clearly, Sexton had an amazing understanding of the game as an out-half. His knowledge of what it takes to win at the highest level is as recent as possible. It’s no great stretch to say that one timely kernel of his nous could prove crucial in the heat of a Lions Test series. But his pedigree as a coach is limited to the past six months. For others who might have hoped to make it as Lions assistant coaches to Farrell, this will hurt.

We’ve also had confirmation that Sexton will go full-time as an assistant coach with Farrell’s Ireland next season. Again, this has all happened very quickly. Sexton himself was only recently expressing doubts about being a coach at all.

Even the great Paul O’Connell went away and had a few developmental experiences as a coach before he joined the Ireland set-up.

Initially, O’Connell dipped his toe as a consultant with Munster’s academy before becoming the Ireland U20s’ forwards coach in 2017.

He had a year with Stade Français in the Top 14 for the 2018/19 season and it was unclear whether he would continue down the coaching pathway thereafter, until Farrell convinced him to join his Irish staff before the 2021 Six Nations. 

Even that wasn’t much of a coaching CV but O’Connell had a huge impact on Ireland, quickly becoming a central figure with his detailed coaching and analysis. He had a big influence on them building to their Grand Slam in 2023.

Farrell clearly believes that Sexton has the coaching potential to have a similarly quick impact despite his lack of experience in this particular aspect of rugby. 

Sexton is a big fan of Owen Farrell, his Lions team-mate in 2013 and 2017. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

Ireland and Lions boss Farrell is a good judge of rugby acumen and he has seen Sexton at work in environments that are closed off to the rest of us. He could easily point out that anyone criticising Sexton’s quick rise doesn’t have the insight that he does.

Scotland out-half Russell must find Sexton’s promotion to the Lions staff interesting.

In that same interview with The Times back in October, Sexton expressed his doubts about Russell being the Lions’ key man at number 10.

And Sexton also revealed his leading candidate – the head coach’s son.

“I’d pick Owen Farrell,” said Sexton.

“Who do you want in there when the going gets tough? Test-match animals.

“I know who the media would want. Finn Russell, Marcus Smith, the flashy…”

Alex Lowe, the journalist who interviewed Sexton, noted that the Irishman then removed Smith from the category of “flashy” out-halves.

“Marcus, I think, is a generational talent,” said Sexton.

“I actually wouldn’t really include him [as flashy]. He looks flashy, but I think he manages the game really well. I think he can light up a game.

“But for me, I’d like Owen. He can do some remarkable things.”

Now, Sexton will be in the room for Lions squad selection and team selection meetings. Russell must be worried.

We know that Sexton has Farrell’s ear and it increasingly looks like the pair of them are inseparable.