Sexton insists there is no bad blood with Russell and says he’s focused on guiding him, not judging him
Johnny Sexton has dismissed talk of a feud with Finn Russell as overblown, saying his past comments about the Scotland playmaker were “blown out of proportion” and won’t impact their relationship during this summer’s British and Irish Lions tour.
Sexton, now the Lions’ kicking coach under Andy Farrell, acknowledged that remarks made in his autobiography and subsequent media interviews had sparked speculation about tension between the two fly-halves. In his book, the former Ireland captain suggested Russell’s media popularity may have swayed Warren Gatland to choose the Scot over him for the 2021 tour of South Africa. Later, in promotional interviews, he said he’d have picked Owen Farrell ahead of the “flashy” Russell.
But speaking from the Lions camp, Sexton downplayed the supposed friction.
“There’s a lot been made of the whole situation, primarily by you guys [the media],” he told reporters. “It’s not even what I wrote in the book—it’s more about what I said promoting it. It’s probably been blown out of proportion.”
He explained that his comments reflected his own mindset in 2021 and speculated on Gatland’s thinking, rather than expressing personal animosity towards Russell. “It was more really what I thought Gatland was thinking as opposed to what I was thinking,” he said. “You have to deal with these types of challenges.”
Despite the noise, Sexton revealed that he and Russell had already met briefly during Lions preparations, exchanging a handshake and a few words before Russell returned to club duty at Bath. The Scot played a starring role in Bath’s Premiership final win over Leicester.
Embed from Getty Images“He was racing off obviously because those guys were in finals,” Sexton said. “They came in, got their kit, did a bit of media and were gone. I’m looking forward to catching up with him later.”
As a coach, Sexton insisted there’s no lingering rivalry. “What the Lions demands of you is that if there is a rivalry—which there’s not—you leave it at the door,” he said. “I’m here to help him now, to give him experiences, to answer questions. I’m not here to force myself or tell him what to do.”
Though new to coaching, Sexton believes his long career as a player gives him the tools to support others. “I’m an inexperienced coach but I’ve probably seen it all in terms of rugby,” he said. “I’ve been dropped, not picked, injured—my career has been like this,” he added, tracing a zigzag with his hand.
Sexton wants to use that experience to support players through difficult moments. “Being here to help those guys when they have a tough game, being able to help them out and pick them up is something I’m quite passionate about.”
The 38-year-old took a year away from rugby after retiring in 2023 before joining Ireland’s coaching staff on a part-time basis last autumn. He will begin a full-time role with the IRFU after the Lions tour, but admitted to feeling some nerves about the rapid transition.
“As a player, I always doubted myself. When you come into the Irish set-up or become a Lion, you have those doubts. It’s no different now,” he said. “You want to show you can bring value.”
When Lions head coach Andy Farrell invited him to join the backroom team, Sexton didn’t hesitate. “I considered it for about 30 seconds. I’d regret it for the rest of my life if I didn’t.”
