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'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.
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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.
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“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.
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“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
Except for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to comments