Sexton Unsurprised By Lions' Record Irish Contingent

Johnny Sexton says he was not amazed to spot a grounds number of Ireland players selected successful nan British and Irish Lions squad, but accepts "everyone has their ain opinion".

Lions caput coach Andy Farrell, who has besides been Ireland leader since 2019, picked 15 successful his first 38-man squad for nan Australia tour and past week called up Connacht prop Finlay Bealham pursuing Zander Fagerson's injury.

When asked astir nan beardown Ireland contingent - 12 Leinster players, 3 from Connacht and 1 from Munster - Sexton pointed to nan nationalist team's shape successful caller years.

"Well, Ireland person done beautiful good complete nan past fewer years, having won nan [Six Nations] title past year, nan Grand Slam nan twelvemonth before, truthful you're astir apt looking complete nan past 3 years," said nan erstwhile Ireland captain, who is simply a kicking coach successful Farrell's Lions backroom team.

"With immoderate players, coaches would look astatine shape complete eight, 9 years. It's not conscionable if you've played good successful a mates of games successful nan Six Nations, you can't unit your measurement in, but sometimes you return a bigger image look pinch players.

"They cognize nan measurement Andy coaches, they cognize nan system. It didn't astonishment maine because historically, let's opportunity erstwhile location was a Welsh coach and nan Welsh squad did well, location were nan mostly of nan Welsh team.

"I deliberation nan teams that performed nan champion successful nan Six Nations sewage selected."

When asked if he could understand why group would mobility nan number of Ireland players successful nan squad, Sexton said "everyone has their ain opinion", which is nan "beauty of sport".

"You tin spell done nan players and deliberation 'well who are you talking astir that you wouldn't person picked?' because for maine successful position of nan past 3 aliases 4 years they person performed well," added nan two-time Lions tourist.

"Sometimes you tin beryllium swayed by really nan Six Nations finished. The first game, Ireland against England, it was a awesome capacity and that comes into consideration.

"With Andy, I've ne'er seen specified a thorough process pinch each nan combinations and nan magnitude of players that were considered and talked about.

"Andy did each those players justness successful position of doing capable investigation and work, asked applicable group and he's picked nan squad he thinks springiness him nan champion chance to triumph nan tour."

Having retired aft nan 2023 Rugby World Cup, Sexton took a occupation successful nan commercialized assemblage earlier returning to nan Ireland set-up arsenic a part-time coach for past year's autumn internationals and this year's Six Nations.

In April, he "jumped at" nan chance to subordinate Farrell's Lions backroom squad and return a full-time domiciled pinch nan Irish Rugby Football Union aft nan circuit to Australia.

Now, aft a twelvemonth extracurricular of rugby, he feels he is "where I should be".

And while immoderate Irish coaches person opted to trim their teeth overseas - Ronan O'Gara successful France, for illustration - Sexton said moving overseas has ne'er appealed to him.

"I want to beryllium successful Ireland, but I've sewage to ore connected nan present and now," he said.

"That's yet really I made nan decision. I person to make myself happy successful nan present and now and not interest astir nan future. If it [the IRFU role] is only for 2 years, it's only for 2 years.

"We'll spot what happens. It's conscionable bask nan infinitesimal and effort to make nan astir of it."

As portion of his Lions role, Sexton - who was a cardinal personnel of nan successful 2013 circuit to Australia - will activity intimately pinch fly-halves Finn Russell, Marcus Smith and Fin Smith.

"There's a small spot of everything really. It depends connected what personification you're moving with, what shape they're in, if they request thief aliases if they're successful a bully place.

"The first week's been getting to cognize Marcus and Fin Smith. I don't deliberation I played against Fin but I played against Marcus a mates of times.

"They're remarkable, talented, awesome characters, awesome people, I've sewage to cognize that complete nan first week. I'm looking guardant to moving pinch them."

The Lions look Argentina astatine Aviva Stadium successful Dublin connected Friday (20:00 BST) successful their pre-tour send-off fixture.

The 15-strong cohort of Bath, Leicester and Leinster players who were progressive successful Saturday's Premiership and United Rugby Championship finals linked up pinch nan squad for Monday's training astatine University College Dublin.

Scotland full-back Blair Kinghorn is nan only absent subordinate arsenic he is successful Top 14 semi-final action pinch Toulouse connected Friday, while Jamie George and Asher Opoku-Fordjour will beryllium released backmost to England campy aft Lions training connected Monday.