Johnny Sexton says Lions playmaker Finn Russell is no flash in the pan
The Scotland playmaker was famously described as 'flashy' and a 'media darling' in Sexton's autobiography, but the Ireland great has been won over by his former rival since working with him in his capacity as Lions kicking coach.
'Finn's still flash! He'd hate it if I said he isn't,' Sexton said.
'But in the last couple of years he's come into his own as a 10 and he's been able to manage a team because ultimately that's his main job. And then his brilliance will come out once he's into the game.
'He's probably been our best defender in the backline on this tour so far. You always knew that was in there because he's a feisty guy.
'Physically he doesn't look that big, but he's fronted up big time on this tour and made a lot of impact tackles. We'll need him to do that against Australia because they'll be coming down his channel.
'I'm sure (Australia coach) Joe Schmidt will have a plan for him because he'll know how integral he is to our team and I'm sure he'll be doing everything to cut him off.'
Russell plays with a smile on his face, reacting to mistakes with a grin and shrug of the shoulders, but the 32-year-old magician is operating at the peak of his powers having recently steered Bath to the treble.
'Finn has been relaxed as always, you wouldn't know it's the week of a Test. You can see the work he does, though,' Sexton said.
'You have a perception of him from the outside and I would have had the same, in terms of he is a relaxed guy and just takes things in his stride. But he does a lot of work behind the scenes.
'In the last couple of years he's really matured as a player. Bath getting to finals, winning trophies – you can't do that if you're just that kind of mercurial 10.
'You've seen that now this year. He's got his team over the line and he's won a few trophies and he's carried that form into here.'
The Lions are heavy favourites to seize an early lead in the series at Suncorp Stadium, but Sexton insists victory is not a foregone conclusion.
'We don't pay too much attention to the bookies' odds or what people are saying. We're just concentrating on putting a great performance out there,' the former Lions playmaker said.
'That's what will be needed – a great performance, not a good performance, to beat this Australian team.
'They're a proud nation, they're a top class team, they're well coached, and we need to get the best version of ourselves out there.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leader Live
an hour ago
- Leader Live
David Gray delighted as Hibernian respond to Midtjylland loss with win at Dundee
The Easter Road boss admitted it was a 'difficult' decision to make just one change to the side that started Thursday's extra-time defeat by Midtjylland in the Europa League. However, Gray was rewarded with a strong display as Kieron Bowie's first-half double proved enough to overcome a Dee side who pulled one back through Fin Robertson. 'I'm delighted because after everything the players put in Thursday night, everybody would be looking at today's game wondering would there be a hangover, how will the players react the first time they went Thursday-Sunday,' the manager said. 'The players reacted in the best possible way with a real professional performance. I thought we controlled the game from start to finish.' Gray was heartened to see recently-capped Scotland forward Bowie get off the mark so early in the campaign after he endured an injury-disrupted first season at Hibs. 'That's the reason he was brought to the club,' he said. 'He's suited to Scottish football as well, with the physicality, he really enjoys that side to the game. 'The confidence levels will be high with the Scottish recognition as well, which is fantastic for him on a personal note, but he's working hard every day, he's getting fitter, he's getting stronger and really benefiting from a strong pre-season.' Gray was typically coy when asked about the future of defender Lewis Miller, who is understood to be close to joining Blackburn. The Australian is currently recovering from injury. 'There has been interest in him, but right now he's still a Hibs player and until he's not, my focus is on trying to get him back on the pitch as quick as we can,' he said. Dundee boss Steven Pressley said he saw some 'green shoots' of recovery against the Hibees after his side's demoralising Premier Sports Cup group-stage exit last month. However, the 51-year-old, taking charge of a match in Scotland's top flight for the first time in 15 years, felt they were 'nervy' in possession and was keen to stress the scale of the task he inherited in June. 'Almost every single goal from the team of last season was not there today,' said Pressley, whose talismanic captain Simon Murray missed out with injury. 'It's a big rebuild. I'm not trying to pull the wool over anybody's eyes. 'There's a lot of hard work ahead. We probably need another six players in to bolster the squad and it's a real challenge.'
Glasgow Times
an hour ago
- Glasgow Times
David Gray delighted as Hibernian respond to Midtjylland loss with win at Dundee
The Easter Road boss admitted it was a 'difficult' decision to make just one change to the side that started Thursday's extra-time defeat by Midtjylland in the Europa League. However, Gray was rewarded with a strong display as Kieron Bowie's first-half double proved enough to overcome a Dee side who pulled one back through Fin Robertson. 'I'm delighted because after everything the players put in Thursday night, everybody would be looking at today's game wondering would there be a hangover, how will the players react the first time they went Thursday-Sunday,' the manager said. 'The players reacted in the best possible way with a real professional performance. I thought we controlled the game from start to finish.' Gray was heartened to see recently-capped Scotland forward Bowie get off the mark so early in the campaign after he endured an injury-disrupted first season at Hibs. 'That's the reason he was brought to the club,' he said. 'He's suited to Scottish football as well, with the physicality, he really enjoys that side to the game. 'The confidence levels will be high with the Scottish recognition as well, which is fantastic for him on a personal note, but he's working hard every day, he's getting fitter, he's getting stronger and really benefiting from a strong pre-season.' Gray was typically coy when asked about the future of defender Lewis Miller, who is understood to be close to joining Blackburn. The Australian is currently recovering from injury. 'There has been interest in him, but right now he's still a Hibs player and until he's not, my focus is on trying to get him back on the pitch as quick as we can,' he said. Dundee boss Steven Pressley said he saw some 'green shoots' of recovery against the Hibees after his side's demoralising Premier Sports Cup group-stage exit last month. However, the 51-year-old, taking charge of a match in Scotland's top flight for the first time in 15 years, felt they were 'nervy' in possession and was keen to stress the scale of the task he inherited in June. 'Almost every single goal from the team of last season was not there today,' said Pressley, whose talismanic captain Simon Murray missed out with injury. 'It's a big rebuild. I'm not trying to pull the wool over anybody's eyes. 'There's a lot of hard work ahead. We probably need another six players in to bolster the squad and it's a real challenge.'
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Meg Harris puts gold stamp on swim worlds but US pip Australia on medal table
Swimming with her eyes shut, Meg Harris put a golden exclamation mark on Australia's world titles with victory in the women's 50m freestyle. Harris' gold medal on Sunday's last night of the titles in Singapore came amid silver medals to compatriot Jenna Forrester (women's 400m medley) and Australia's women's 4x100m medley relayers. Australia, with eight gold, six silver and six bronze, finished second on the medal tally behind the United States (nine, 11, nine). The 23-year-old Harris, who is partially deaf, was stunned at her success – not least because she swims the entire lap with her eyes closed. 'It's normal for me,' Harris said of her shut-eye habit. 'I do it a lot in the 50m and in the 100m, I always do it on the second lap. So I'm not quite sure what it is, I do it in training as well, but I guess it's just like trying to focus on my stroke … not 100%, that's just what happens.' Harris clocked 24.02 seconds to claim her first individual title in a career also featuring nine relay golds at Olympics and world championships. 'Stoked ... I have achieved what the dream that I've been dreaming of this whole time,' said Harris, who won silver in the event at last year's Paris Olympics. In the women's 400m medley final, Australia's Forrester finished second behind Canadian megastar Summer McIntosh, who won four gold medals in Singapore. Sam Short's illness-troubled titles finished with fourth place in the men's 1500m, Isaac Cooper was seventh in the men's 50m backstroke and Brendon Smith came last in the men's 400m medley. And the Dolphins' women's 4x100m medley team of Kaylee McKeown, Ella Ramsay, Alex Perkins and Mollie O'Callaghan took silver in the last race of the championships, won by the US in a world record time of three minutes 49.34 seconds. O'Callaghan was Australia's most successful swimmer of the meet with three gold medals and two silvers. Kaylee McKeown collected two golds, repeating her 100-200m backstroke double from last year's Olympics, plus a silver while Cam McEvoy became Australia's oldest gold medallist at a world titles, winning the men's 50m freestyle aged 31. Sign up to Australia Sport Get a daily roundup of the latest sports news, features and comment from our Australian sports desk after newsletter promotion Another veteran, 27-year-old Kyle Chalmers, won gold as part of the men's 4x100m freestyle relay, and bronze in the individual 100m. Meanwhile, in the diving world titles in Singapore, Australia's Cassiel Rousseau won the men's 10m platform for the second time. The 24-year-old produced consistent excellence in Sunday night's final – he led after the first dive, was second after the next two, then held the gold medal position for the final three dives. Rousseau described his gold, which follows his victory in the event at the 2023 world championships, as 'unexpected'. 'It definitely feels amazing,' he said.
