Sexton advises Crowley and Prendergast to 'delete social media' and for supporters to fully back both players
Johnny Sexton has urged Munster and Leinster supporters to put their differences aside and back whoever is selected in the Ireland number 10 jersey.
The selection battle between Munster's Jack Crowley and Leinster's Sam Prendergast has divided opinion along provincial lines and with the two fly-halves set to compete for the starting jersey once more in next month's two-Test Ireland tour to Georgia and Portugal, their mentor believes the protagonists should be given equal backing by all.
Sexton will become a full-time assistant to Andy Farrell in the Ireland set-up following his British & Irish Lions duties this summer in Australia and speaking ahead of Friday's pre-tour game against Argentina at Aviva Stadium, he said of the Irish 10s: 'Well, I've worked closely with them through the Six Nations and I've done a couple of sessions with them beyond the Six Nations and Jack and Sam, remarkable talents, huge futures ahead of them.
'The life of a 10 is up and down. No matter what player you look at over the years, they've had periods where they've been amazing, they've had periods when they've not been. They're just so young. You've got to give them a chance to learn and experience these things, but the level that they are producing already in their careers is amazing really.
'They're so far ahead of where I was, for example and they've got the world at their feet with the work ethic they have. They're humble guys, they do want to learn, they want to practice hard and that's the thing that you look at the most as a coach. You look at the attitude and how humble they are because ultimately that's what will stand to them going forward.
'One thing I disagree with is some of the narrative around it in terms of there's obviously a split in the country in terms of Munster-Leinster and I've been there before. I've been in that situation and with social media getting bigger and bigger it's tough on them at times and it shouldn't be like that. We should be supporting whoever's picked and getting fully behind them.'
Read More
Leinster contingent reports for duty with British and Irish Lions
Sexton revealed he had 'told them to delete social media,' but did not know whether that was heeded.
'All you can do is try and advise in terms of what worked for me. I was exposed to it a little bit at the very start and it's tough, isn't it. As a kid, as a seven, eight, nine, 10-year-old, all you want to do is play for Ireland and when you do it and suddenly you're getting criticised. Not all the time but sometimes and it's kind of, 'wow, this is a bit tougher than I thought it was going to be' but it builds a resilience.
'You find out who are your mates, who are those that you trust and who are those that you can lean on. Going forward, I think they'll be stronger for it.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Extra.ie
18 minutes ago
- Extra.ie
Three times the Lions got big decisions badly wrong
As the 2025 Lions tour prepares to launch, anticipation is high and the mood is overwhelmingly positive. However, history teaches us that it pays to be cautious heading into these expeditions, the heightened exposure and pressure-cooker environment can ruthlessly expose cracks in the operation, leading to bad decisions. Here are three examples from the last 40 years when the Lions got it badly wrong… Will Carling (centre) and the rest of the team wait for a Waikato conversion attempt. Pic: Anton Want/Allsport The midweek team is essential to all successful Lions tours, providing playing and morale-boosting support to the Saturday or Test the midweek team is winning, it boosts overall confidence as well as players with a spring in their step if called into Test action. Conversely, if the midweek team flops, the knock-on effects can be disastrous – as happed in New Zealand in that tour, England were by far the dominant force and it created a somewhat disgruntled midweek side, made up primarily of Scottish players who lost interest fairly early on and suffered fefeats by Otago, Auckland, Hawke's Bay and a hammering by Warren Gatland's Waikato. Richard Webster charges past Waikato players. Pic: Dave Rogers/Allsport The Scottish contingent were exposed as way off the pace but there were good players dragged down with them – notably the English pair of Stuart Barnes and Will Carling while Ireland's Mick Galwey, who had done superbly well to make the tour during a difficult period for Irish rugby. was also affected by the midweek malaise. Mick Galwey with the Lions in 1993. Pic: Dave Rogers/Allsport It was a hugely damaging experience with a chunk of players going 'off tour' – prioritising the social side over results as a rift grew within the party. 'Attitudes left a lot to be desired,' recalled Test wing Ieuan Evans years later. Ieuan Evans rounds Sam Doyle of New Zealand. Pic: AllsportUK/Allsport 'Too many were content with merely being a Lion instead of pushing themselves to the limit – they gave the impression they were on holiday. 'Some of those who played against Hawke's Bay didn't give a monkey's. They simply weren't trying. It was as if they were saying to themselves, 'We're not bothered. We're not going to get a Test place so we may as well enjoy ourselves'.' Having done superbly to tie the series 1-1, the midweek fiasco took its toll by the time of the decisive third Test and a talented Lions side lost a series they should have won. Martin Johnson, Andy Robinson and Graham Henry in 2001. Pic: Dave Rogers/ALLSPORT The 2001 Lions squad that travelled to Australia was one of the most talented groups of players ever assembled. When you look at some of the names – Martin Johnson, Brian O'Driscoll, Keith Wood, Jonny Wilkinson, Richard Hill, Jason Robinson – it was a collection of World XV icons, brimming with belief and natural ability. However, while there was no issue with their playing resources, there was a serious problem in another key area – the coaching ticket. Graham Henry is now revered as one of rugby's best-ever coaches and his record of success with Auckland and New Zealand stands up to any scrutiny. But Henry was entirely the wrong choice as coach of the Lions. Matt Dawson in action for the Lions in 2001. Pic: Adam Pretty/Allsport For a start, he was the first southern hemisphere Lions head, a fact which did not sit well with a lot of people — including a cohort of his players. His personality (stereotypical gruff Kiwi) was also at odds with creating the right spirit to mould four cultures into one over a short sense of 'humour' veered more towards put-down than punchline, which quickly created a gap between the head coach and his players that was never bridged. And, to top it off, Henry's coaching philosophy — in tandem with his equally intense assistants Andy Robinson and Phil Larder — was to work the players into the ground, to the point where injuries proved corrosive and players clearly ran out of juice as the tour progressed. Austin Healey playing for the Lions against the ACT Brumbies in 2001. Pic: Dave Rogers/Allsport The 2001 Lions tour documentary is highly watchable (the last one that is) and it is clear from that account just what a slog it all seems mad now in the era of micro-managed media but, back in 2001, players were allowed to produce newspaper columns that did not need to be cleared by managementEnglish scrum-halves Matt Dawson and Austin Healey were two who had such columns and both laid into the touring experience with the coaching, and Henry in particular, getting a proper kicking. The passage of time has not lessened the sense of just how 'off' it all was and, just to add to the 'what were we thinking?' vibe over appointing Henry, four years later he coached the All Blacks to a 3-0 series romp against the Lions. All Black match captain Richie McCaw and coach Graham Henry during the All Blacks captain's run at Lansdowne Road in 2005. Pic:Perhaps Henry's rank unsuitability for the 2001 task was summed up by a speech he gave on that tour, captured on the tour documentary, in an attempt to motivate his spoke about how the Lions were not respected or rated in Australia and New Zealand, how people did not think they were skilful enough, fit enough or strong enough.'And I should know,' Henry concluded, 'because I am one of them.' Inspiring stuff. Lions coach Ian McGeechan (centre) in 2009. Pic:After the 2005 calamity, there was a lot of pressure on the Lions heading to South Africa four years later. Ian McGeechan was the safe pair of hands entrusted with getting the Lions back on track and he immediately brought the tour back to tourists lost a superb series 2-1 and, although their sole victory came in the dead-rubber third Test when the Springboks had rotated their team, there was lots of respect for how the Lions had played as credibility was if you place sentiment to one side and subject McGeechan's performance to some clinical scrutiny, his selection for the first Test in Durban has to be seriously questioned. Lions forwards Alun-Wyn Jones, Paul O'Connell and Lee Mears in 2009. Pic:The Lions had gone extremely well in the build-up but the Test series was always going to be a different beast and the dogs in the Durban street knew the Boks were going to bulk up to bully their 2009 South Africa team was enormous, packed with leviathans like 'Beast' Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis, Bakkies Botha, Juan Smith and Pierre Spies — and that was just in the forwards. In order to beat them, the Lions needed to muscle up in the forwards before they could even think about playing rugby but McGeechan went for the more mobile route that had worked in meant starts for the front row of Gethin Jenkins, Lee Mears and Phil Vickery with Alun-Wyn Jones also picked in the second row and Tom Croft at blindside flanker. All good players but they could not compete their opponents when it came to size. South Africa's Jean de Villiers with teammate Bismarck du Plessis tackles Brian O'Driscoll. Pic: Duif du Toit/Lee Mears was a solid hooker and good at the basics but Mears was only 5ft9in tall up against yjr 6ft3in Bismark Du in the second row was early into his career and not ready for the raw power and nous of Bakkies Botha, who was three inches taller and nearly three stone heavier. Tom Croft was a superb top-of-the-ground backrow but only weighed in at 94kg, against the likes of Smith and Spies who were both around the 118kg mark. Springboks take part in a film shoot on Table Mountain ahead of the Lions tour. Pic: Carl Fourie/The frustrating aspect to it was that there were bigger Lions alternatives available. Loosehead Andrew Sheridan was a 6ft5on, 20st beast of a man, second row Simon Shaw was 6ft9in and pushing 20st, while Adam Jones at tighthead and Matthew Rees at hooker were big lumps also. The Lions also had access to the likes of Nathan Hines and Donncha O'Callaghan who had experience of playing in the backrow and the size to match the McGeechan opted for 'Lions Lite' and got caught it turned out, the Boks blitzed the Lions in the first 25 minutes and by the time the tourists got over their shell-shock, there was too much ground to make up — although they gave it a valiant try. For the second Test, the penny dropped and the Lions bulked up considerably — dominating the Boks for large chunks of the game and looking set for a famous win save for a freak Morne Steyn penalty. McGeechan did so much right for the Lions over the years, but his 2009 first Test selection was definitely not his finest hour.
The Irish Sun
28 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Damien Duff & Stephen Kenny offer strong take on Drogheda United's exclusion from Europa Conference League
DAMIEN DUFF and Stephen Kenny had different takes on the match between their sides - but were united in their sympathy for Drogheda United. Duff's Shelbourne inflicted St Pat's first home defeat in 12 months 2 Shelbourne beat Pat's 1-0 at Richmond Park 2 United's appeal to CAS was rejected yesterday The Reds boss reckoned his side deserved the win for how they played with the ball in the first half and without it in the second whilst Kenny reckoned his team's efforts after the break deserved a reward. But both men were in agreement that it was rough on Kevin Doherty and his players to be excluded from Europe after Drogheda fell foul of Uefa rules which prevents clubs with the same owner participating in the same competition. Duff said: 'I'm gutted for them, gutted for them, for the league. For Kevin, he's a great guy. A good ex-Shels man. 'There's a lot of players there that I'm really, really fond of. They mightn't be fond of me letting them go. But I am, even Ryan Brennan. I let him go and there's always been that bit of friction. Read More On Irish Football 'I want to see his quality and the servant he's been to the league, to Shelbourne, to Drogheda. I want to see him in Europe. 'So we always think - I don't know the ins and outs - that common sense will prevail, here, come on, let them in. But it hasn't. So I'm gutted for them and I'm gutted for the league also.' Kenny added: 'They've earned it by winning the Cup, and the multi-club model, whether you're in favour of it or not, there are examples, of course, where the clubs have managed to bypass the rules for whatever reason on technical grounds. 'The fact that no other club can take their place, it's a blow for Irish football but the main people it affects, obviously, are Drogheda, and I'm sure they're disappointed.' Most read in Football Shels had failed to win any of their six previous away games before Monday's victory but Duff was in no doubt it was deserved. He said: 'I think both sides of the game is why we deserved to win the game. We were brilliant in the first half with the ball. We showed our quality, showed why we're champions. Former Man Utd star subbed off after 20 minutes then red carded on bench in nightmare Club World Cup debut 'And the second half, here, couldn't string two passes together. "It was the other side of us, of champions and of how to win a football match. Just working hard for each other, connected, defensively sound. "I don't think they cut through us. So there's a beauty in it. There's a beauty in it for sure and we take great pride in it. 'We felt calm without the ball. That was the other reason why I think we deserve to win.' KENNY PERSPECTIVE Kenny, who briefly had Duff as a coach during his time as Ireland boss, had a different view. He said: 'I think the second half was absolute waves of attack. 'Shelbourne kept the ball in their own half a little bit early in the match, but we were never under any pressure and obviously the goal was a deflected effort. 'From our point of view, we should have dealt with it better. And after that, there was just one half chance, that was it, really. 'So, to lose the game on that is very, very difficult to accept. 'In the second half. I thought we showed a lot of quality in our passing and good individual wing play and I was just disappointed that we couldn't score, couldn't get that elusive finish. "We looked like we were in quite a high number of times, so we're disappointed. 'We knew a win would have put us in second place, but we didn't win, and that's ultimately down to ourselves.'
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
England's Jack van Poortvliet called into Lions setup as scrum-half cover
Leicester and England scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet has been called into the British and Irish Lions camp as cover. Van Poortvliet has been called in by Andy Farrell with Ireland scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park suffering from a 'minor glute strain', with the head coach keen to have a third fully-fit nine alongside Alex Mitchell and Tomos Williams. Van Poortvliet will now fly into Dublin to train with the Lions as they prepare for the 1888 Cup fixture against Argentina on Friday. On Monday, the 24-year-old was named in Steve Borthwick's 36-player training squad ahead of England's match against a France XV on Saturday. He made his England debut against Australia in Perth in 2022 and has since won 15 caps for his country.
