Stuart Lancaster pushes for Johnny Sexton Lions call-up

Stuart Lancaster has backed Johnny Sexton’s case for inclusion on the British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa ahead of Thursday’s squad announcement by Warren Gatland.

Sexton started all three Test matches under Gatland in both 2013 and 2017, but is no longer guaranteed of a spot on tour given the pedigree of Dan Biggar, Finn Russell and Owen Farrell.

The Irishman’s push for selection was further impacted by the concussion he suffered in Leinster’s Champions Cup quarter-final victory against Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park. Although Sexton hasn’t played since, Lancaster wouldn’t think twice when it comes to selecting him.

Sees the game so quickly

Speaking on Tuesday, Leinster’s coach told reporters: “Johnny is absolutely training the house down, he’s trained today, his eye is in, I can tell with Johnny when his eye is in, he just sees the game so quickly.

“From my point of view he’s a world-class player and he’d be a huge addition I think personally. But I know there is huge competition in there as well with Finn Russell and Owen Farrell. George Ford I thought was excellent at the weekend for Leicester against Ulster and Dan Biggar is obviously very good, so it’s competitive but I’d back Johnny for sure.”

The former England boss also believes that concerns over Sexton’s durability won’t go against him.

“Nobody can control what happens in any game of rugby, there’s going to be injuries and all sorts of things that happen,” he said. “All I can report, and it’s up to them to decide, but all I can report is him training at the moment and he’s flying, doing extras. He’s in as good a shape as I’ve seen.”

Lancaster is eagerly awaiting the Lions squad announcement, mainly just to see how many of his Leinster stars make the squad.

As well as Sexton, James Ryan, Jack Conan, Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Tadhg Furlong, Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose are other names that have been touted for Lions honours. However, Lancaster admits that following the La Rochelle defeat a number of those players could miss out.

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He added: “I think everything in the lead up to the final selection can all play a part in the final selection, definitely I’ve been through this picking a World Cup squad in 2015, the warm-up games before, everything, the training sessions you see, as an impact on you. But you’d much rather be in those games and playing at this level than sat at home waiting for the phone to ring.

“The squad is getting announced on Thursday, there’s 36 players, you can’t tell me that the 36 that’s named on Thursday is going to be (a), the same 36 that goes on the plane to South Africa and (b) remain the only 36 that will play for the British and Irish Lions this season.

“The schedule leading into the actual departure with the English Premiership semi-final and final which will undoubtedly involve some players, these Rainbow Cup games we’re playing in, the Japan game, games against the Stormers, the Bulls, the Sharks… Wednesday, Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday — I don’t know what the actual schedule is, but you look at it and think of how hard it was when we played the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein and how hard a game that was.

“The Lions have got that Wednesday, Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday plus South Africa A and three Tests.”