Andy Farrell names Irish option as ‘once in a generation’ Johnny Sexton replacement

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Ireland head coach Andy Farrell is confident he has three good options to replace retired fly-half Johnny Sexton.

Sexton retired after the Rugby World Cup quarter-final defeat to New Zealand, ending a 14-year international career.

Much of that was spent as Ireland’s undisputed first-choice 10, with Leinster playmaker replacing Ronan O’Gara as the country’s all-time leading scorer in Test rugby during the French tournament.

Munster’s Jack Crowley looks likely to start for Ireland’s opening game against France in Marseille on Friday 2nd February, while Leinster’s Harry Byrne and Ciaran Frawley are also in Farrell’s squad. is named in the. Uber’s talented youngster Sam Prendergast will also be attending Ireland’s camp in Portugal as a ‘training panellist’.

The quartet have all spent time with either club or country as Sexton’s understudies, and Farrell believes their education will help fill Sexton’s big shoes.

“I hope Jonny has learned something from that, as far as how he was as a leader and more importantly as a once-in-a-generation world-class 10,” he said of the Six Nations in Dublin. Farrell explained at the presentation.

“Ciaran Frawley certainly does.” [in consideration at ten].Sam [Prendergast] He also came to Portugal with us and spent 10 days there learning the ropes. He can look at us and we can look at him and see how it goes.

“Jack has been around for a while and we’ve seen how Johnny lives his day-to-day life to ensure Jack can continue to compete without being usurped from his position. In the same train of thought. , Harry gets to work with Johnny every day. We’re going to learn a lot about their characters in the coming weeks.”

Sexton’s retirement will also create a vacancy in the captaincy role, which will be filled by flanker Peter O’Mahony.

The 34-year-old veteran back-rower won his 100th cap during the World Cup but has been playing some of the best rugby of his career in an Ireland shirt over the past 12 months.

There was some thought that Farrell might look to younger candidates like James Ryan or Caelan Doris, but the head coach said O’Mahony’s similarities to Sexton as a leader were such that O’Mahony’s similarities to Sexton, who won last year’s Grand Slam I believe this will be a positive for Ireland as they aim to repeat their championship.

“There was great leadership in the group, so naturally there were several candidates,” Farrell said. “In terms of a natural fit based on my past experience with Johnny, [Peter O’Mahony] They are exactly the same type of leader.

“When you have a person that comes into the room, it feels right to the room. It’s important to have that person in the dressing room on game day and Peter is definitely one of them. I have no doubt that he will be proud.”