The Irish management has reached out to Johnny Sexton, former international outhalf and captain, to take on a part-time mentorship role for the Irish outhalves. Despite the agreement not being completely sealed as of yet, there are expectations that Sexton might contribute in a small way during the Six Nations and potentially, the upcoming Autumn Nations Series.
Sexton who retired post last year’s World Cup with an impressive 1,108 points to his credit and 118 caps, is most determined to follow a business career path post his retirement at age 39.
While he is not closing the door outright on the opportunity, he has his hesitations about rushing into this offer, particularly given he would be mentoring players he has been part of the same team with in recent years. He believes that a coaching relationship might jeopardize his standing from this year, as it could inevitable change the dynamics.
Although Sexton , in his newly published biography, acknowledged the disciplinary incident that led to his suspension before the World Cup, he did note that the experience has made him more reticent about considering a future coaching role post retirement.
Technically, this standpoint hasn’t changed, as there’s no expectation for Sexton to formally join the coaching team or play a typical coaching role. However, should he take up some involvement, it is anticipated that he would have a limited role, primarily focused on offering advice and support on kicking to the relatively inexperienced Irish outhalves squad.
The Irish squad, that recently toured South Africa, includes Jack Crowley, Ciarán Frawley and newcomer Sam Prendergast. They are anticipated to hold their place when the team for the autumn games is announced on Wednesday afternoon.
Though Crowley and Frawley have previously had some interaction with Sexton, Prendergast, known for his impressive striking skills, could significantly benefit from the wisdom and advice that Sexton could potentially offer.
From a certain perspective, it seems reasonable for Sexton to act as a consultant during match weeks for a few hours without disrupting his entrepreneurial undertakings. His deep-rooted connection with Andy Farrell, who will be on leave from Ireland to join the British & Irish Lions in the Six Nations, can be traced back to their period as captain and trainer throughout the previous World Cup cycle. An absence of a dedicated kicking coach leaves room for Sexton in the team. If Caelan Doris, as predicted, takes up the role of the permanent Irish captain, Sexton could potentially offer valuable advice and guidance.