Close bond behind green dream team

Ireland's Sexton, Schmidt soar to top in tandem

LONDON - Some have cast the relationship between Ireland coach Joe Schmidt and Johnny Sexton as like father and son - and the latter has from the outset been in the precocious category.

Ireland's star flyhalf - who crowned an extraordinary season by being named World Rugby's player of the year on Sunday in Monaco - was instrumental in persuading Schmidt to leave French club Clermont where he was assistant coach in 2010 and take on the top role at Irish province Leinster.