'If he was c**p that could be a different story' - Sexton lavishes praise on Farrell Jnr
Ireland captain Johnny Sexton believes Andy and Owen Farrell each possess an admirable ability to set aside their close father-son relationship when it comes to a high-stakes rugby match.
The Farrells will be in opposite camps on Sunday when Ireland travel to Twickenham for a titanic Guinness Six Nations clash with England.
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell will hope to see his team clinch the Triple Crown in London to remain on course for a Grand Slam, while England skipper Owen Farrell is bidding to help keep alive his side’s title challenge.
Fly-half Sexton has previously seen the pair working together on tour with the British and Irish Lions and fully anticipates a business-like approach from both.
“On Lions tours when they’ve been together as father and son, you’d never have guessed it,” said Sexton.
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WATCH: England Rugby head coach Eddie Jones and fly half George Ford look ahead to Sunday’s Six Nations clash with Ireland.
“They’re very close but when they’re in a professional environment on the same team it’s just like a player with any coach.
“I admired that about them and it’s the same when they’re opposing. They’re very professional and it’s just like playing against any other team really.”
Coach Farrell has previously faced Saracens fly-half Farrell as part of Ireland’s management team but this weekend will be doing so for the first time since replacing Joe Schmidt in the main role.
England have five locks and one wing in their 23 to play Ireland.
– @alexshawsport tries to read Eddie's forward heavy Twickers gamble #ENGvIRE #GuinnessSixNations 🏴🇮🇪 https://t.co/oy0YEMjgof
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 21, 2020
The younger Farrell will once again play at inside-centre for his country and will be joined in the midfield by the returning Manu Tuilagi, one of four personnel changes made by Eddie Jones.
Asked if 44-year-old Farrell had been able to outline any flaws in his son’s game, Sexton replied: “He doesn’t have too many weaknesses really.
“If he was c**p that could be a different story and he could be telling us all his weaknesses.
“But he’s a world-class player, so it’s more his strengths that we’ve looked at.
Breaking: Late change to Ireland team. Iain Henderson @HendersonIain ruled out for family reasons. Devin Toner @DevinToner4 will start with Ultan Dillane @Ultan_Dillane named in the replacements.#ShoulderToShoulder #ENGvIRE #GuinnessSixNations pic.twitter.com/rdKGadYQQJ
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 21, 2020
“We’ve all played against him numerous times and we know the type of player he is and how good he is, so we’re just preparing for his strengths really.”
Ireland, who began the tournament with successive Dublin wins over Scotland and Wales, initially opted for an unchanged starting XV, before their plans were altered by the birth of Iain Henderson’s son.
The absence of Ulster lock Henderson paves the way for Devin Toner to come into the second row and make his first start since his shock omission from Schmidt’s World Cup squad.
Sexton is delighted to have his experienced Leinster team-mate Toner back in the team to win a 70th international cap, while scrum coach John Fogarty said the squad had sufficient time to prepare for the enforced alteration.
“It’s brilliant for him, he’s bounced back really well. Obviously everyone has setbacks through their career and he had a big one at a bad time for him but he has bounced back well,” said Sexton.
Andy Farrell forced into a change https://t.co/zwk1P65zYm
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 21, 2020
“You saw by the reception that he got against Scotland – I’ve never heard a crowd cheer so loud for a line-out win.
“We were giving him a bit of stick about it but it just shows what everyone thinks of him. All the lads are delighted for him.”
Fogarty said: “Faz (Andy Farrell) was speaking with Iain during the week to see how it would all turn out.
“They spoke a bit last night and this morning and it became clear this morning. We had planned during the week, in the eventuality that it would happen, that Dev is there.
“It’s a big ask if he (Henderson) was to come straight in, he missed two sessions, so that bit of cohesion when he’s an important person in our line-out and in our team.
“We’re delighted for him, a little baby boy.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
86 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to comments