WE DIDN’T SEE much of Johnny Sexton in November. While onboard as an assistant coach with Ireland, the former Leinster and Ireland captain ensured he kept a low profile. Working part-time with the squad, Sexton wasn’t present on matchdays and kept out of sight when the cameras were around at training.
Over the last few weeks he’s finally stepped out of the shadows. Sexton was a visible presence at Ireland’s pre-Six Nations training camp in Portugal and appears to now be a more prominent voice around the camp.
While much of his focus is on working with the 10s, he’s also having his say around other areas of Ireland’s game.
“He’s been great, he’s not just working with the kickers,” explains Hugo Keenan.
Sexton has been working with the Ireland squad on their kicking. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
“He’s got a great mind, Johnny has played at such a high level for so many years and it would have been a waste if he had just gone into the business working world so we’re delighted to have him in to camp.
“He’s been great for us. He’s been challenging the back three in terms of their aerial skills. In and around the kicking game as well, kicking for each other, chasing kicks, receiving kicks. I suppose it all falls into kicking as a whole.
He’s definitely tried to raise our standards in that challenge to grow and it’s been great to have him into camp with a fresh pair of eyes.
“I suppose playing with him he would have been focused on our starter plays, running our plays, attack and D, he probably wouldn’t have as much time to give you little tips and pointers. He would occasionally but not it’s his sole focus. (So) He’s not just working with the 10s but also with the back three.
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“He sometimes sits in the back of the room and he doesn’t have to prepare too many meetings, so he can focus on one or two points around the pitch and trainings and habits so it’s been great.”
Keenan hit the ground running as Ireland kicked-off their Six Nations campaign with a 27-22 win against England last weekend, delivering a typically composed performance even when Ireland were struggling to make inroads across the early stages.
Keenan competes with Freddie Steward in the air. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
He was part of an intriguing aerial battle with England fullback Freddie Steward, while Keenan also managed to put the visitors under pressure with his kicking game – including one smart second-half grubber which saw Keenan and James Lowe chase down Cadan Murley and carry the debutant out of the in-goal area and into touch.
“I was surprised he didn’t put it down immediately,” Keenan says. “He’s obviously a very good counter-attacker. I think that was probably on his mind to back himself.
“But it was a great kick-chase by Lowey, I knew we’d get the ball back if, worse case, we’d get him over the line, it’s a ruck, they don’t have an easy exit, we can get the ball back or push him into touch, and it would be ours.”
It was intelligent play from the Ireland pair as Keenan continues to show himself as a smart thinker around the game. Jamison Gibson-Park recently explained the fullback has been an influential voice as Ireland worked on their defensive scrum set-up, in light of the new laws which state defensive nines can no longer go around to the base of the opposition scrum to pressure the ball.
“I think [Gibson-Park] is not giving himself much credit there,” Keenan says.
Keenan and Lowe combined to force Murley into touch. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
“We’d work together as nine and fullback in our scrum set-ups and how we want to defend, and I suppose with the new rule that nine can’t go past the tunnel, previously we would have liked to put a bit of pressure on and disrupt them at source.
“I think it’s a good rule for attacking sides that you can now get clean ball, it’ll be a bit more exciting for starter plays, but it means from a defensive point of view, our positioning tweaks here and there both in the backfield and in our frontline. So yeah, it’s been a small little change.
“It can have, not big consequences, but certainly we have to rethink a few things and sit down together and go through different set-ups and scrums and what different opposition are doing a bit more off scrum attack.”
Tomorrow Keenan’s defensive work will be put to the Test. The Leinster player feels his opposite number, Blair Kinghorn, has hit a new level since joining Toulouse in December 2023. Then there’s Finn Russell, who has remains one of the most difficult 10s for a defender to read.
“He’s got the full bag of tricks, doesn’t he?” Keenan says of the Bath out-half.
“He’s a serious, serious player. He’s a great passer of the ball, good kicker, likes taking the ball to the line. It’s always an exciting challenge for me as a fullback going up against one of the best 10s in the world.
You don’t really know what he’s going to do, he can shape one way and go the other way, whether that’s kick, run or pass, that’s the challenge we face.
“He’s an exciting player to watch but he’s also an exciting player to challenge yourself against.
“I was lucky enough to get to play against him for Bath only two or three weeks ago, so maybe it’s not a huge advantage, but it’s something that’s fresh in my mind and we’ve had a few battles down the past and looking forward to another one.
“And in fairness to them, they’ve a brilliant backline that’s humming as well, so it’s not just him that we have to be wary of and be prepped for.”
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Keenan on coach Sexton, law changes and defending against Finn Russell
WE DIDN’T SEE much of Johnny Sexton in November. While onboard as an assistant coach with Ireland, the former Leinster and Ireland captain ensured he kept a low profile. Working part-time with the squad, Sexton wasn’t present on matchdays and kept out of sight when the cameras were around at training.
Over the last few weeks he’s finally stepped out of the shadows. Sexton was a visible presence at Ireland’s pre-Six Nations training camp in Portugal and appears to now be a more prominent voice around the camp.
While much of his focus is on working with the 10s, he’s also having his say around other areas of Ireland’s game.
“He’s been great, he’s not just working with the kickers,” explains Hugo Keenan.
“He’s got a great mind, Johnny has played at such a high level for so many years and it would have been a waste if he had just gone into the business working world so we’re delighted to have him in to camp.
“He’s been great for us. He’s been challenging the back three in terms of their aerial skills. In and around the kicking game as well, kicking for each other, chasing kicks, receiving kicks. I suppose it all falls into kicking as a whole.
“I suppose playing with him he would have been focused on our starter plays, running our plays, attack and D, he probably wouldn’t have as much time to give you little tips and pointers. He would occasionally but not it’s his sole focus. (So) He’s not just working with the 10s but also with the back three.
“He sometimes sits in the back of the room and he doesn’t have to prepare too many meetings, so he can focus on one or two points around the pitch and trainings and habits so it’s been great.”
Keenan hit the ground running as Ireland kicked-off their Six Nations campaign with a 27-22 win against England last weekend, delivering a typically composed performance even when Ireland were struggling to make inroads across the early stages.
He was part of an intriguing aerial battle with England fullback Freddie Steward, while Keenan also managed to put the visitors under pressure with his kicking game – including one smart second-half grubber which saw Keenan and James Lowe chase down Cadan Murley and carry the debutant out of the in-goal area and into touch.
“I was surprised he didn’t put it down immediately,” Keenan says. “He’s obviously a very good counter-attacker. I think that was probably on his mind to back himself.
“But it was a great kick-chase by Lowey, I knew we’d get the ball back if, worse case, we’d get him over the line, it’s a ruck, they don’t have an easy exit, we can get the ball back or push him into touch, and it would be ours.”
It was intelligent play from the Ireland pair as Keenan continues to show himself as a smart thinker around the game. Jamison Gibson-Park recently explained the fullback has been an influential voice as Ireland worked on their defensive scrum set-up, in light of the new laws which state defensive nines can no longer go around to the base of the opposition scrum to pressure the ball.
“I think [Gibson-Park] is not giving himself much credit there,” Keenan says.
“We’d work together as nine and fullback in our scrum set-ups and how we want to defend, and I suppose with the new rule that nine can’t go past the tunnel, previously we would have liked to put a bit of pressure on and disrupt them at source.
“I think it’s a good rule for attacking sides that you can now get clean ball, it’ll be a bit more exciting for starter plays, but it means from a defensive point of view, our positioning tweaks here and there both in the backfield and in our frontline. So yeah, it’s been a small little change.
“It can have, not big consequences, but certainly we have to rethink a few things and sit down together and go through different set-ups and scrums and what different opposition are doing a bit more off scrum attack.”
Tomorrow Keenan’s defensive work will be put to the Test. The Leinster player feels his opposite number, Blair Kinghorn, has hit a new level since joining Toulouse in December 2023. Then there’s Finn Russell, who has remains one of the most difficult 10s for a defender to read.
“He’s got the full bag of tricks, doesn’t he?” Keenan says of the Bath out-half.
“He’s a serious, serious player. He’s a great passer of the ball, good kicker, likes taking the ball to the line. It’s always an exciting challenge for me as a fullback going up against one of the best 10s in the world.
“He’s an exciting player to watch but he’s also an exciting player to challenge yourself against.
“I was lucky enough to get to play against him for Bath only two or three weeks ago, so maybe it’s not a huge advantage, but it’s something that’s fresh in my mind and we’ve had a few battles down the past and looking forward to another one.
“And in fairness to them, they’ve a brilliant backline that’s humming as well, so it’s not just him that we have to be wary of and be prepped for.”
Another busy afternoon lies ahead.
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Hugo Keenan Ireland Rugby safe pair of hands six nations 2025