Hugely excited': Sexton a surprise addition to Farrell's Lions staff

Johnny Sexton has been added to the British & Irish Lions coaching staff for the summer tour of Australia in a surprise move that raises further intrigue over the fly-half selection debate following his previous criticism of Finn Russell and endorsement of Owen Farrell.

- Gerard Meagher

Sexton was not named by Andy Farrell when the head coach unveiled his assistants for the tour last month but will now join Simon Easterby, John Dalziel, Andrew Goodman, Richard Wigglesworth and John Fogarty on the coaching ticket. The 39-year-old will also join Farrell's coaching staff at Ireland upon the conclusion of the Lions tour.

Sexton, who retired after the 2023 World Cup with five Six Nations winners' medals, twice toured with the Lions, starting all three Tests of the 2013 trip to Australia at fly-half. He was on the bench for the first Test of the 2017 series against New Zealand but won his place back for the latter two as the Lions came from behind to clinch a draw. He was a surprise omission from the 2021 tour of South Africa and has written at length in his autobiography about that disappointment, admitting the snub "kills me to this day".