DUBLIN — Finn Russell laughed off any suggestion of there being lingering awkwardness between him and Johnny Sexton as the two start working together on the British & Irish Lions’ tour of Australia.
Former Ireland fly-half Sexton, 39, called time on his remarkable 17-year professional rugby career after the 2023 Rugby World Cup and is now on the Lions backroom staff this summer. That role will see him reunited with Scotland fly-half Russell, his former rival.
Sexton said in his autobiography that Russell’s status as the “darling of the media” swayed Warren Gatland‘s decision to pick the fly-half for the 2021 Lions tour and said in an interview with The Times last October that he had pick Owen Farrell over “flashy” Russell for the Lions tour this summer.
Since then, Sexton has started working with the Ireland team in a full-time capacity, and he is now on the Lions coaching ticket working with the Scottish No.10.
Earlier this week Sexton said the comments had been “blown out of proportion” and that he was looking forward to working with Russell — who fresh from guiding Bath to the Gallagher Premiership title last weekend, has put to bed any notion of there being bitterness between the two.
“It’s just a bit of a craic I suppose. It was never a thing,” Russell said. “When we came in, we had a laugh straight away and Andy [Farrell] kind of put it to bed so that was good. Not that it was ever going to be an issue I don’t believe. I think we’re all here with the same goal which is to win the series.
“I’ve only been here a few days but it’s been good working with Johnny. I’m happy to bounce questions off him and chat to him about what he’s seeing because with the numbers we’ve had he’s had to jump in sometimes. So it’s been quite funny being on the same training side as him.
“It’s good to have a guy with experience here. All the coaches seem open to have conversations and have chats. It’s a good environment to be in.”
The 32-year-old signed a new contract with Bath on Thursday taking him through to 2028. He said it was a no-brainer as the job is “far from finished” at the Rec. But before he returns to domestic duties ahead of next season, Russell will be aiming to inspire the Lions to a series win against Australia.
This is Russell’s third Lions tour. He was part of the “geography six” in 2017 who received a late call-up from Gatland to help bolster the squad ahead of the Test series. In 2021, he played in the third Test as the Lions faced South Africa in front of empty stands due to COVID-19. This time around, the Lions are looking for their first series win since 2013.
“I think as a collective, as a group, we’ve set our own standards of what we want to do on this tour and how we want to be remembered,” Russell said.
“I think all the players and everyone have deserved their spot on this tour. I think it’s going out there and being themselves. I enjoy doing that.
“We’ve spoken about what we want to be and who we represent. But I think the main thing is just going out there and not overthinking it. Don’t change anything, just go out there and be yourself,” Russell added.
And Russell hopes the Lions will be given freedom to play expansive rugby in Australia. “I wouldn’t say there’s a typical Lions way,” Russell said. “I think that would depend on the coach. I think with Andy there and the coaching staff we’ve got here, it’s hopefully going to be a free-flowing, fast style of rugby we’re going to play. There’s obviously a lot of structure in there but then at times if there’s no structure we’re happy to play unstructured rugby as well.
“So it’s getting that balance of using structure to create unstructured and then go from there. I think it’s just different types of coaching. I wouldn’t say there’s a Lions way of playing. I think it depends on the coach, it depends on the players. It’s been good fun training actually. It’s been very fast but good.”
Russell sat out the Lions’ 28-24 defeat to Argentina in Dublin on Friday as the Pumas registered their first victory over the touring party in their history. Farrell’s side now travel to Australia ahead of their match against Western Force next Saturday.
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Source: espn.com