Ireland rugby captain Johnny Sexton hit back at the critics on Tuesday, insisting the side had not gone backwards since Andy Farrell took over as head coach after last year’s World Cup.

The 35-year-old fly-half returns as captain for Saturday’s Autumn Nations Cup third-place play-off with Scotland having missed the last two games due to a hamstring injury.

And it couldn’t come quick enough for Sexton, who jokingly questioned his suitability as a waterboy due to the frustration he felt on the sidelines during the matches he sat out.

Turning to Farrell, Sexton said he felt Ireland were making progress under the former Wigan, England and Britain rugby league legend who was also capped in union after crossing codes.

Farrell moved up from assistant coach to the top job after Joe Schmidt stepped down following a hugely successful tenure.

The New Zealander’s six-year reign, however, ended in a damp squib with a poor defence last year of their 2018 Six Nations Grand Slam and an underwhelming World Cup.

 

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