ACT Brumbies v British & Irish Lions
Venue: Gio Stadium, Canberra
Kick-off: 8pm local time/11am Irish time
On TV: Live on Sky Sports
Johnny Sexton was a non-playing member of the Lions squad when they last visited Canberra a dozen years ago and the tourists suffered a first loss to Australian provincial opposition in 40 years. He’ll be back in the stands at the Gio Stadium as part of the tourists’ coaching ticket and, recalling the cold of that night, will most likely be wearing every layer of clothes he has.
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“It was a tough game that night. We had a lot of disruption with a lot of new players coming in. I think we brought maybe five guys in fresh into the team. There wasn’t a lack of effort, but we couldn’t get a performance out there that warranted a victory,” he said of the 2013 game.
More than 20,000 tickets have been sold for what will be the biggest attendance at a Brumbies home game this season on Wednesday – albeit the National Rugby League (NRL) have put the State of Origin on at the same time – but that night in 2013 serves as a reminder of the hurt for all those involved for the Lions.
“I remember what happened 12 years ago, I remember what happened 24 years ago,” Sexton said, the latter reference being to the Lions’ dramatic 30-28 win in 2001. “These games stick in people’s memories despite it not being as important as the Test. So, you’ve got to make the most of every opportunity you have in the jersey.”
On a chilly, if sunny Australian winter afternoon now, Sexton has been overseeing the Lions’ array of kickers: Finn Russell, Fin Smith, Marcus Smith, Blair Kinghorn, Owen Farrell and Jamison Gibson-Park. Time was, until less than two years ago and for almost two decades beforehand, when Sexton would have been practising his kicking and getting his bearings of another away stadium. Does he miss it?
“Of course. I think I’ll miss it until the day I die,” he said candidly with a wry smile. “But you have to realise that it comes to an end one day and now I’m here to help the guys who are here. I’m enjoying it so far.”
In the latter stages of his playing career, Sexton assumed more responsibility, becoming captain of his province and of his country as well as the outhalf strategist and placekicker. Now he does none of those things and one would imagine it must be difficult to adapt to such a comparatively hands-off role.
“For this tour in particular, no, it’s not, because I knew the role I was going into. With Ireland the role will be a little bit different – there might be a bit more responsibility. That is something to get my teeth into, but what that is I don’t know yet. Andy [Farrell, Lions and Ireland head coach] has been a bit busy for the last six months to decide. Hopefully, step-by-step, I will build up responsibility and have some areas to be passionate about and be involved in.
“But for now it is about helping these guys out. Whether it is the 10s, whether it is the kickers, or if Maro [Itoje, Lions captain] needs what I think about certain things. He hasn’t asked me about dealing with the refs yet,” said Sexton with a laugh in acknowledgment of his own sometimes-fraught relationship with referees. “I’m still waiting, and I might be waiting a long time. Maybe he’ll ask on the plane on the way home.”
Owen Farrell was a replacement here 12 years ago and a Test team-mate of Sexton’s and unsurprisingly he gave a ringing endorsement of Farrell jnr’s call-up.
“He’s already up to speed, with how he has trained. He came off the plane and knew the plays and everything that was going on. He has trained really well today. You can see the touches he had and you could see how he was helping the number 10s, because he was at 12 today, in the bibs team, as we call them, the second team. He carved us open a couple of times.
“So, we can see the value that he’s going to bring for the rest of the tour. How could you not bring him? He’s a world-class player. I know he’s had a little bit of injury, but so has Sione [Tuipulotu] and so has Huw Jones.”
Sexton recalled Seán O’Brien being picked in 2017 and playing himself into form and fitness, akin to himself on that tour.
“Experience is experience. He’s a world-class player. Look at what he’s won. He’s not just a guy who has hung on to the coattails of other people, he’s the one who has been driving those teams. He’s been fantastic to have in camp and I’m sure he’s going to add loads for the rest of the tour.”
Nor did he see Farrell’s call-up undermining morale among the other outhalves in the squad, while also hinting he will be a contender for inside centre.
“Well, I know from playing 10 that if he’s at 12 it’s a dream. It helps you and makes your job easier. He’s another organiser and another playmaker who can control the game. He’s a leader. I could see the excitement on the 10s’ faces when he was picked.”
Sexton also recalled his own disappointment, rather than relief, when Jonny Wilkinson was not part of the 2013 Lions.
“I presume that’s what it’s like now for the other guys here. They want to learn from the best. I can see the relationship he [Farrell] has with Finn Russell and it must be from four years ago because they seem to get on really well. I can’t see any negative from bringing him out.”
ACT Brumbies: Andy Muirhead; Ben O’Donnell, Ollie Sapsford, David Feliuai, Corey Toole; Declan Meredith, Ryan Lonergan (capt); Lington Ieli, Lachlan Lonergan, Rhys van Nek, Lachie Shaw, Cadeyrn Neville, Tom Hooper, Rory Scott, Tuaina Taii Tualima. Replacements: Liam Bowron, Cameron Orr, Feao Fotuaika, Lachie Hooper, Luke Reimer, Harrison Goddard, Jack Debreczeni, Hudson Creighton.
British & Irish Lions: Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse/Scotland); Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England), Garry Ringrose (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby/Ireland), James Lowe (Leinster Rugby/Ireland); Finn Russell (Bath Rugby/Scotland), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster Rugby/Ireland); Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England), Dan Sheehan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) (capt), Joe McCarthy (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England), Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland). Replacements: Ronan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Will Stuart (Bath Rugby/England), Josh van der Flier (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints/England), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England), Marcus Smith (Harlequins/ England), Mack Hansen (Connacht Rugby/Ireland).
Referee: Pierre Brousset (FFR)
Forecast: The Lions shadow Test side to have a statement win
