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'It was crazy. Unprofessional': The off-field call that cost Lions

By Ian Cameron
The Lions look dejected after their defeat during the 2017 British & Irish Lions tour match between the Highlanders and the British & Irish Lions at Forsyth Barr Stadium on June 13, 2017 in Dunedin, New Zealand. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Johnny Sexton has described an off-field decision before the final British & Irish Lions Test against New Zealand in 2017 as “crazy.”

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He believes Warren Gatland’s decision led to the Lions damaging their chances to win the tour outright, instead of ultimately drawing the series. He describes it as his ‘biggest regret’ of the tour.

Reflecting on the tour in his new book – Obsessed – Sexton recalled being in good form after a strong performance against the Maori All Blacks prior to the first Test. Despite this, he was dropped to the bench, with Owen Farrell starting at fly-half and Ben Te’o chosen at inside centre to counter New Zealand’s Sonny Bill Williams for the first Test.

Although Sexton respected the decision process, he was frustrated by the selection. He would start both the second and third Tests however, but it was their preparation for the three Test matches – the third in particular – that irked the former Ireland fly-half and his teammates.

The Sunday Times published extracts from the autobiography this weekend.

“The only thing I had an issue with was the preparation in the week of that first Test. Suddenly we were doing double sessions when I thought we should have been tapering down. I wasn’t the only one thinking this.

Sexton Gatland Lions snub
Johnny Sexton with Warren Gatland on the 2017 Lions tour (Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

“It was actually unlike Gatland. What I liked about him was that he had a good sense of what players needed and wanted. I liked the way he talked, liked the buttons he pressed. I wouldn’t rate him as highly as Joe [Schmidt] or Faz [Andy Farrell] as a technical coach, but then those two are among the best ever. As a manager and a selector, I thought Gats was quality. He went up in my estimation, of course, when he picked me to start the second Test.

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“Wellington was wet. We squeaked home 24–21, despite playing most of the game against fourteen men after Sonny Bill had been sent off for a high shot on Anthony Watson. Our own indiscipline didn’t help, but we did enough to show that the team operated better with myself and Owen pulling the strings. Playing with Owen was a dream for any 10. His communication and decision-making take the pressure off. We spent a lot of time rooming together and talking, so playing off each other seemed easy.

“My biggest regret about that tour was what happened after Wellington, when we had some mandatory “bonding” for a couple of days down in Queenstown. This was a bad idea and I think it reduced our chances of making history. The bonding idea took root because the 2009 Lions went on the piss in their final week in South Africa and ended up winning the final Test. Big deal. That series was already over. The Springboks picked their second-string side for the last Test.

“I was fine with having a few beers the night of the second Test, recover Sunday, organisational meeting Monday, train Tuesday, off Wednesday, light run Thursday and so on. Instead we ended up training Wednesday, Thursday and Friday because we did virtually nothing except “bond” at the start of the week. We were supposed to be preparing for a series decider against the best team in the world at Eden Park. A shot at history. It was crazy. Unprofessional.

“As a result, I don’t think those Lions maxed out on their potential, not with the athletes we had at our disposal.

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“And I’m not pointing the finger solely at Gats here. I blame the senior players for not taking control of the situation and making sure we prepped properly. I include myself in that. We had enough experience in the group to speak up. I wish I’d said something.

“In the circumstances, a 15–15 draw and a tied series felt more like a win to the Lions and was certainly greeted as one by the management team. I don’t know how you can set off on tour talking about winning in New Zealand and then celebrate a draw. But there you have it.”

Obsessed, The Autobiography by Johnny Sexton is published by Penguin, Sandycove on the 10th Oct at £20/€25. Available to pre-order now

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Comments

8 Comments
L
LB 10 days ago

Not sure what more the Lions could have done in another week of training. Their key weapon was their rush defence which they had perfected by the second test.


Their attack was too backline focussed and another week of hard training wasn't going to do much. I think if they had focussed on their scrum and maul from the beginning of the tour, they would have been more dangerous.

T
Teddy 11 days ago

Good lad, Johnny.


Delighted he finally got to pull the strings in a series win in NZ. Some operator.

F
Forward pass 10 days ago

They drew that series due to the ref effing it up. Admitted it all post match.

M
MattJH 11 days ago

I like it. Great attitude from Sexton: Win. Prepare to win, don’t be happy with a lame ass draw.

Gatland, pretty much as expected. After the 2019 3rd place playoff he had this little smile and made comment to the effect of “you can’t expect someone to beat the Boks and ABs playing them 6 days apart.”

Like that’s too much of a hill to climb.

Bro, you’re at a World Cup…

B
Bull Shark 11 days ago

How do you know Johnny Sexton was a great rugby player?


He’ll tell you.

E
Ed the Duck 11 days ago

You can probably set off on tour talking about winning in New Zealand and then celebrate a draw in a similar way to celebrating your own performance squeaking home 24-21 against 14 men…!!!


What an arrogant cnut he is, just absolutely full of it…

B
BeegMike 11 days ago

These excerpts aren't doing his reputation any good. All Im seeing is an entitled brat

F
Forward pass 11 days ago

Yes, Im not buying the book thats for sure.

B
Bull Shark 11 days ago

Agreed. But it’s turning into a goldmine. Articles for days.

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EV 4 hours ago
Is this why Ireland and England struggle to win World Cups?

Rassie is an extremely shrewd PR operator but the hype and melodrama is a sideshow to take the attention from the real reason for the Boks dominance.


Utimately the Boks dominate because Rassie and his team are so scientific and so driven. His attention to detail and obsessive analysis smacks of Tom Brady's approach.


He has engineered a system to find and nurture talent from the best schools to the most desolate backwaters. That system has a culture and doctrine very similar to elite military units, it does not tolerate individuals at the expense of the collective.


That machine also churns out three to five world class players in every position. They are encouraged to play in Ireland, England, France and Japan where their performance continues to be monitored according to metrics that is well guarded IP.


Older players are begged to play in the less physical Japanese league as it extends their careers. No Saffa really wants to see Etzebeth or Peter Steph or Pollard play in France or British Isles. And especially not in South Africa, where you just have these big, physical young guns coming out of hyper competitive schools looking for blood.


Last but but no means the least is the rugby public's alignment with the Springbok agenda. We love it when they win between World Cups but there is zero drama if they lose a game or a string of games for the sake of squad depth.


It's taken time to put it together but it has just matured into a relentless machine.

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