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'I never heard from Gatland... It kills me to this day'
By Ian Cameron
Former Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton says he yearns for an explanation from Warren Gatland as to why exactly he was left out of the 2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa.
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Despite Sexton’s excellent turn in the Guinness Six Nations that year, Lions head coach Gatland plumped for Owen Farrell, Dan Biggar and Finn Russell as his first-choice selection at ten.
It’s a decision that still haunts the Irish man, who has written about the drama in his new book – Obsessed: The Autobiography of Johnny Sexton. Extracts from the book have been published in this weekend’s Sunday Times.
“We’d never had a very close relationship, but I was convinced he would bring me, based on the fact that we had been successful on previous tours. Gatland has always said that Six Nations form was his main selection guide and I had finished the Six Nations strongly. Our performance in the final game, when we gave England a 32–18 spanking in the Aviva, was a turning point for the team.
“I’d set a few personal targets to achieve before the end of my contract: to reach 100 caps, to captain Ireland to a grand slam and Leinster to another double. I also craved a third Lions tour. There’s an exclusive club of players who have played in three or more Test series for the Lions and I desperately wanted to be in it.
“Competition was tight, I’ll admit. I expected that Gats would go with Owen Farrell and Dan Biggar, players who had delivered for him before. Quality players and proven winners. Finn Russell was the darling of the media during that year’s Six Nations but he didn’t look like a Gatland player to me. I reckoned that if Gats chose three out-halves and if he was true to his ideals, I was in.”
Sexton suffered a second concussion in a Champions Cup quarter-final against Exeter in April. Despite treatment from a concussion expert and regaining fitness for Leinster’s semi-final, Sexton informed the Lions’ medical team of his readiness for the Champions Cup final, should Leinster make it.
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“…the rational part of me said that Gats would still be guided by my form in the last three rounds of the Six Nations and what I’d achieved for the Lions in 2013 and 2017. When I saw the squad, it felt like he’d been guided by someone else. Eight Scots in the squad? Based on what? Fourth in the Six Nations, with a win in Paris on the final day, when France handed them the result by chasing a bonus point when the game was over.
“I never heard from Gats. He wasn’t obliged to call me, of course. I didn’t expect a call. Being picked for the Lions is an honour, a privilege and not something you should ever think you are guaranteed. I still get the occasional urge to call him and find out, off the record, exactly what was said in the selection meeting. You’d probably think I’d be over it by now. It kills me to this day.
“His official line was that he didn’t think I’d last the rigours of a series against the Springboks. I heard another rumour that the Lions had been told I was too much of an insurance risk, that there was a danger that they would be liable for an expensive payout if I got another head injury while on tour. Whatever. I didn’t pay attention to the rumours. I wasn’t selected, end of story.”
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Sexton remained fit during the 2021 Rainbow Cup but didn’t participate, as Leinster coach Leo Cullen used the tournament for player development. Sexton later regretted this decision when he learned that Russell had injured his Achilles early in the Lions tour, as staying active might have improved his chances of being called up to replace the Scot.
“Faz was soon in touch to see if I’d heard anything from Gats. A few former Lions team-mates also texted from South Africa to check if I was on my way out. I was in a corporate box at Lord’s Cricket Ground, watching England play Pakistan, when I saw the news that Marcus Smith had received the call. Two more beers, please, barman.
“People say I was lucky. They say it was the worst Lions tour ever, that the players were imprisoned in their hotel by Covid restrictions, and they lost a boring Test series 2–1 in empty stadia. I supposedly dodged a bullet. I don’t buy that. I reckon the Boks were there for the taking and if the Lions had won the series, that’s the only thing people would remember. I would have given anything to be out there.”
Obsessed, The Autobiography by Johnny Sexton is published by Penguin, Sandycove on the 10th Oct at £20/€25. Available to pre-order now
Some people should never write autobiographies as it just confirms what so many thought. He sadly reflects the recent ethos of Irish rugby players and fans. Spent lots of money on the game but really Ireland have been poor winners and show little respect for the boost they have received from SH players and coaches. This, from a country that spent decades abusing NZ and to a lesser extent Australia of poaching Pacific Islanders.
Dodged a bullet there, Johnny. The rugby was awful.
Terrible , terrible rugby . The lions tried to take the Boks on like Wales did in the 2019 semi . Another terrible game . The Lions should have played more expansively from the outset and we might have had some watchable rugby .
Firstly - Johnny Sexton is a great player. That's not in doubt, but the whining and chip-on-the-shoulder narcissism suggests that therapy may be a good idea.
Let's see ... the Boks were "there for the taking". And the reason they were not "taken" is that Gatland did not pick Johnny Sexton? This is according to ... Sexton. Ah yes - got it.
Another possibility is that (as Nienaber famously said) other people don't get to write the script for the Boks. And the Bok script said that the Lions were there for the taking. Which is, in fact, what happened.
The part about the Lions coach not calling all of the players they did not pick is quite right. I know rugby players in both England and Ireland and I am certain that they were not called with explanations of what they were not in the touring squad. They should get ghost writers to set out their grievances and try to sell some books.
He’s not wrong to think they were there for the taking though, the whole world thought it given the awful prep time and the lack of internationals the previous year, not having a roaring crowd behind them as well. If he’d taken sexton would they have won most likely not. Gatland said going into the tour he had a game plan and picked a squad for the game plan not the best players available and while that’s how international rugby should be it’s completely against the spirit of the lions. It’s meant to be good fun rugby even in defeat and Gatland got too big for his boots and thinking he was bigger than that. I still reckon if Russell started the second test they’d have won the series.
I agree somewhat with you about the phone call thing but I think his point was he felt he was in strong contention and that he had a good enough working relationship with Gatland that he might’ve called him and surely we can sympathise a little with that. I maintain to this day though that not going was the best thing for him and he wouldn’t have been able to keep it up until 2023.
Typically there are two reasons why players are not selected:
1. Not good enough. Clearly, Sexton is a world-class player and the margins between him, Farrell, Biggar and Russell are minute.
2. Bad for the team as a whole. Yeah ...
Deluded, just seriously deluded to EXPECT that he was nailed on ahead of Finn!
Didn’t expect a call but did expect a call up. What a twat!
And of course gats will be delighted he was never tempted to disclose his decision rationale “off the record”, only to find it used to help sell yet another biography…
BOO FCUKING HOO!!! 😂😂😂
His form wasn't the reason he wasn't picked. Maybe his abbrasive, disruptive personality or his respect issues were to blame
Obsessed? Obsessed with complaining more like it. What a Diva. The guy can’t catch a hint.
Sounds like he did think he was guaranteed a spot and that he was owed a call from Gatland.
But there are at least some clues starting to emerge re: the real problem here. “Another head injury” top of the list.
Seems like JS not only thinks Ire were the best team at the WC, but that he was the best flyhalf not selected for the Lions tour.
Another clue as to why he was probably left at home. 🙄
Never liked this bloke, foul mouthed and a poor example for kids to follow.
He wouldn’t have reached the final heights he achieved without the significant rest he got that season. While he’s had his moments of madness before and since then I can’t help but deeply respect the drive and competitiveness that kept him at the top level for so long. Say what you like about him now that he’s gone but he was a special player in his own right and I don’t think we’ll see a player quite like him in Ireland for a long time if ever.
Won't see a player like him nor, hopefully, an arsehole like him either. Odious kant.
Absolutely it takes certain personalities to achieve the success Sexton had. In Kenya, I interviewed an Olympic Gold medalist and first sub 8 minute 3k in TH steeple chase. Different personality but that drive was always there. That burning drive is a consistent element of that level of achievement.
I hope you don't see a player quite like him in Ireland ever. Then you might actually win the world cup.