Snubbed Johnny Sexton wants answers from Gatland after Lions 'rumour'

The Ireland legend was left crushed after being left out of the 2021 Lions squad

Ireland legend Johnny Sexton says he is still waiting for answers from Warren Gatland as to why he was left out of the Lions tour to South Africa in 2021.

The now-39-year-old was omitted from that year's squad despite a strong showing in the Six Nations, with Owen Farrell, Dan Biggar and Finn Russell all picked ahead of him. Sexton says that he never found out the reason for the snub by Gatland from the coach himself and says that, having desperately wanted to be involved in a third Lions tour, being left out "still kills [him] to this day."

Having retired from rugby following last year's World Cup, the Irishman has now spoken out about the snub in his new book 'Obsessed: The Autobiography of Johnny Sexton'. He pulls few punches in discussing it, explaining how he expected to be involved off the back of his Six Nations performances and having deemed Russell to not be "a Gatland player".

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Admitting that he is still not over the omission, Sexton says he still gets the urge to call the Wales coach and demand answers, having not been told personally why he was left out. Get the latest Welsh rugby breaking news by signing up to our free daily newsletter here.

“We’d never had a very close relationship," he revealed in the book. "But I was convinced he would bring me, based on the fact that we had been successful on previous tours. Gatland has always said that Six Nations form was his main selection guide and I had finished the Six Nations strongly. Our performance in the final game, when we gave England a 32–18 spanking in the Aviva, was a turning point for the team.

“I’d set a few personal targets to achieve before the end of my contract: to reach 100 caps, to captain Ireland to a grand slam and Leinster to another double. I also craved a third Lions tour. There’s an exclusive club of players who have played in three or more Test series for the Lions and I desperately wanted to be in it.

“Competition was tight, I’ll admit," Sexton added. "I expected that Gats would go with Owen Farrell and Dan Biggar, players who had delivered for him before. Quality players and proven winners. Finn Russell was the darling of the media during that year’s Six Nations but he didn’t look like a Gatland player to me. I reckoned that if Gats chose three out-halves and if he was true to his ideals, I was in.”

While he suffered a concussion during the Champions Cup quarter-finals that year, Sexton regained his fitness and informed the Lions' medical team about his readiness. However, even though he was back to full fitness with a fine Six Nations campaign also under his belt, the Irishman was left fuming when the squad was revealed.

"The rational part of me said that Gats would still be guided by my form in the last three rounds of the Six Nations and what I’d achieved for the Lions in 2013 and 2017," he said. "When I saw the squad, it felt like he’d been guided by someone else. Eight Scots in the squad? Based on what? Fourth in the Six Nations, with a win in Paris on the final day, when France handed them the result by chasing a bonus point when the game was over.

“I never heard from Gats. He wasn’t obliged to call me, of course. I didn’t expect a call. Being picked for the Lions is an honour, a privilege and not something you should ever think you are guaranteed. I still get the occasional urge to call him and find out, off the record, exactly what was said in the selection meeting. You’d probably think I’d be over it by now. It kills me to this day."

“His official line was that he didn’t think I’d last the rigours of a series against the Springboks," he added. "I heard another rumour that the Lions had been told I was too much of an insurance risk, that there was a danger that they would be liable for an expensive payout if I got another head injury while on tour. Whatever. I didn’t pay attention to the rumours. I wasn’t selected, end of story.”

As it turned out, Russell saw his own Lions tour finish early after injuring his Achilles. But with Sexton opting to miss the end of season Rainbow Cup and not stay active over the summer, he missed his chance to replace the Scot with the twice-capped Marcus Smith getting the nod instead.

“[Owen Farrell] was soon in touch to see if I’d heard anything from Gats [after Russell's injury]," he said. "A few former Lions team-mates also texted from South Africa to check if I was on my way out. I was in a corporate box at Lord’s Cricket Ground, watching England play Pakistan, when I saw the news that Marcus Smith had received the call. Two more beers, please, barman."

“People say I was lucky," he added. "They say it was the worst Lions tour ever, that the players were imprisoned in their hotel by Covid restrictions, and they lost a boring Test series 2–1 in empty stadia. I supposedly dodged a bullet.

"I don’t buy that. I reckon the Boks were there for the taking and if the Lions had won the series, that’s the only thing people would remember. I would have given anything to be out there.”