IRELAND LEGEND JOHNNY Sexton has been named as part of Andy Farrell’s coaching staff for this summer’s British and Irish Lions tour to Australia.

The IRFU has also confirmed that Sexton will move into a full-time coaching role with Farrell’s Ireland next season, as well as working with “various men’s and women’s national age-grade sides.”

Lions head coach Farrell, who is currently on a break from his role with Ireland to lead the tourists this summer, had already named three of his Irish assistant coaches as part of the Lions set-up.

Simon Easterby, Andrew Goodman, and John Fogarty were all confirmed as Lions assistant coaches last month. Aled Walters and Vinny Hammond, Ireland’s head of athletic performance and head of analysis, were also previously announced as part of the Lions set-up.

They will now be joined by former Ireland and Leinster out-half Sexton, who is still in his first season as a coach.

The 42 understands that Sexton will take up a role as the Lions’ kicking coach.

Sexton joined the Ireland set-up on a part-time basis this season to work on their kicking game and mentor their out-halves, while continuing to work full-time with the packaging company Ardagh Group.

However, Farrell has a strong relationship with Sexton and clearly appreciates the value the 39-year-old can bring as a coach.

“I coached Johnny for the very first time during the 2013 Lions Tour to Australia and the love that he had for the British & Irish Lions was reflected in how he operated on a daily basis,” said Farrell as Sexton’s Lions role was confirmed.

Sexton was appointed as Ireland’s full-time captain for the first time by Farrell, taking on the role in 2020 at the age of 34 and calling it “the biggest honour of my career.”

Sexton, who was World Rugby player of the year in 2018, went on to lead Ireland to the Grand Slam in 2023. He retired from playing after Ireland’s quarter-final exit at the 2023 World Cup and initially stated that he wouldn’t be moving into coaching.

Sexton expressed reservations about immediately working with players who had been team-mates so recently, but Farrell and the IRFU convinced him to take on the part-time role with Ireland this season.

That initially meant only working directly with Ireland on specific days during the training week and not being with the team on match days. But when Sexton travelled with Ireland to their pre-Six Nations training camp in Portugal, it indicated a step up in involvement and by the end of the championship, he was part of their match day staff.

Sexton was not named on the interim Ireland coaching team for this summer’s Tests against Georgia and Portugal, which will be led by interim head coach Paul O’Connell.

Initially, that suggested that Sexton might take a step back from the hands-on coaching with Ireland, but instead he will have a busy summer in Australia with the Lions.

Sexton toured with the Lions as a player in 2013 and 2017, playing in all six Tests, but missed out on featuring in 2021, a huge disappointment for him. Now, he will get his shot at being involved in a third Lions tour.

Thereafter, Sexton will move into a full-time position with the IRFU.

The Irish union says Sexton will have an “expanded coaching role” working with various teams, including Farrell’s senior men’s team.

“I am excited to join the IRFU on a full-time basis and am extremely passionate about the opportunity to work with current and future players,” said Sexton.

“I’ve been extremely fortunate to have great coaches, who nurtured and developed my skills, and I am keen to share my experiences with the next generation and help them achieve their goals.

“The level of investment and focus on the pathways in Ireland is really encouraging and I believe the future is really bright for men’s and women’s rugby in Ireland.”