Brian O'Driscoll likes to recall the players receiving some notes or instructions for the next day under their hotel doors during his playing days which were signed 'JS', and not being sure whether this meant Joe Schmidt or Johnny Sexton.
Sexton will officially captain his country for the first time in his 86th Test for Ireland, having taking over the duties for endgames. It's pretty remarkable to think that this is also a first occurrence of this happening over the course of the close, decade-long Schmidt-Sexton, coach-player relationship.
Acknowledging Sexton’s competitive streak, even if ruefully wishing he wouldn’t throw himself into rucks as he does sometimes, Schmidt said of his new captain: “I think his ability to control a game, to see a game a little bit ahead of where it’s happening, I think that’s a massive strength.
“He brings that without being captain but I do think it’s something where we want to have a really competitive and combative approach this week and I think Johnny is ideal to lead that because of the character he is, let alone the qualities as far as his game-management and the individual skill that allows other people get into the game.”
While there remained “some really good leadership around the team”, Schmidt said it was nevertheless both “a real honour” and “it’s a deserved honour” for the outhalf.
"He's no shrinking violet", as Schmidt also said of Sexton, and this applies off the pitch as well. No less than when captaining Leinster, Sexton said nothing much would change in his approach, and it assuredly won't, save for "conversing with the referee".
“Whether we do it in English or French, I think my pidgin French has probably taken a hit over the last few years,” he conceded, smiling, and no doubt mindful of his reputation. But he certainly knows the game’s laws, as he successfully showed in the final throes of Ireland’s series-clinching, third Test win in Australia in 2018, when Pascal Gauzere was the referee.
Admitting it was something he’d dreamed of since he was a kid, Sexton said: “It felt very nice this morning when Joe had a chat with me. I look forward to hearing from my family when they wake up this morning. I haven’t had a chance to speak to them yet but I’m sure they’ll be delighted.”
