Lions tours turned Farrell and Sexton into best of enemies
Fly-halves managed to put their history of flare-ups behind them after bonding in 2013
After winning the World Rugby player of the year award on the back of Ireland’s all-conquering 2018, Johnny Sexton received one congratulatory text that stood out amid a bombardment that kept his phone buzzing for days.
Golfer Rory Mcilroy sent some kind wishes. Larry Mullen, the drummer and co-founder of rock band U2, also weighed in. And yet Sexton was particularly touched by a message from a fierce rival, one-time room-mate and, most of all, respected peer.
“It was all Irish people, really,” Sexton told a special edition of the BBC Rugby Union Weekly podcast. “I didn’t get that many texts from [elsewhere].
“I got a text from Owen Farrell, which meant a lot to me, because I know that he would have been up for the award in previous years and I’m sure he’ll go on to win it in the future.”
Farrell had indeed been nominated for that gong previously, on three separate occasions. The earliest was in 2012, the same year that he and Sexton first faced off in a Test match.
Then just 20, England’s young fly-half took advantage of a dominant scrum to kick 20 points in a 30-9 triumph. Sexton spent some of the fixture sledging Farrell, telling the rookie that his father’s renowned toughness was not necessarily genetic.
The playmaking pair have tangled at plenty of rucks in the intervening years, the defender usually attempting to hold down the attacker during phase-play. You sense that is because they are acutely aware of the other’s influence rather than anything more sinister.
Indeed, Farrell and Sexton have bonded tightly over two British and Irish Lions tours. The latter’s diary of 2013 reveals that they billeted together prior to leaving for Australia. Although Jonny Wilkinson had been superb for Toulon – and was championed for selection by defence coach and Owen’s father, Andy Farrell – Warren Gatland opted to bring just two specialist 10s.
Very much the junior partner during the series against the Wallabies seven years ago, Farrell was an unused replacement for the first two Tests, before receiving a token 17 minutes after the Lions had forged ahead 29-16 in the decider. Sexton’s sharp decisionmaking and clever support lines, which spurred Gatland’s side, would have been educational for Farrell.
“That would apply to all of our English international players who go on Lions experiences,” says Mark Mccall, Farrell’s director of rugby at Saracens.
“They rub shoulders with the best coaches and the best players around, and they’ve always come back with something new to think about, to debate, something new that they want to work on in their game.
“Owen’s obviously hugely open-minded to all of that and is always looking to drive himself in a good direction.”
By 2017, with George Ford’s rise doubtlessly driving him as well, Farrell was far more rounded. His passing and his armoury of attacking kicks had improved. He flew to New Zealand as a back-toback winner of both the Six Nations and the Champions Cup. His achievements with England came at inside centre, those for Saracens as a fly-half.
Meanwhile, Sexton’s 2016-17 season had been disrupted by a number of niggles. Gatland’s recent memoir, Pride and Passion, relays the head coach’s delight after a 12-3 win over Crusaders.
“The best news? Johnny Sexton was back at the races… Here, he came off the bench when Jonathan Davies picked up an injury just shy of the half-hour mark, teamed up with Owen in a 10-12 link and rediscovered some of the confidence that makes us tick…
“I found myself wondering if he’d resigned himself to playing second fiddle to Owen, to being on the down slope. By making a significant contribution when it was really needed in Christchurch, he reclaimed the best of himself. As I said to the media after the game, he had his mojo back.”
Although Farrell created opportunities at fly-half in the first Test against the All Blacks, the Anglo-irish midfield combination that Gatland started for the second and third matches was vital in squaring the series.
And Sexton did have his mojo back, as he would prove in 2018.
Back at Twickenham, on the way to securing a Grand Slam, he conducted a strike move and used himself as bait. Farrell charged out of the line after his opposite man but Tadhg Furlong’s swivel-pass went to Bundee Aki instead of the looping Sexton, foxing Sam Simmonds and setting up a try for Ireland back-rower CJ Stander.
The pendulum swung again in 2019, Farrell guiding Saracens past Leinster in the Champions Cup final months after masterminding England’s victory in Dublin. The head-to-head aggregate of games now stands at 7-4 in Farrell’s favour.
This 12th meeting tomorrow is mightily difficult to call. The two captains will be at the forefront of a ferocious contest. When they emerge, though, respect and friendship will endure.
‘When I won the World Rugby player of the year, Owen texted me – and that really meant a lot’