Stuart Lancaster has opened up on the lengths Johnny Sexton went to as he made sure he attended the funeral of Lancaster's father.
John Lancaster passed away suddenly from cardiac arrest in September 2018 and the Leinster coach spoke candidly about the time in an exclusive interview with Off The Ball.
Remembering the time, Lancaster said: "It was sudden, it was cardiac arrest on the farm. It was two months after the Aviva and a photo of me with two trophies and we just won the double.
"You're constantly thinking I'll give my dad a ring but he's not there.
"He was on the one I took his work ethic. I did his eulogy and said he was very good at guided discovery, he never told you what to do but pointed you in the right way."
And Lancaster spoke about how Leo Cullen and Johnny Sexton travelled to the funeral despite it taking place in England.
He said: "It was the start of the season and Leo (Cullen) said take what time you need and I got a good glimpse of the Irish culture because Leo and Johnny came to the funeral.
"They came all the way across from Dublin to Manchester airport, hired a car and stayed in a Premier Inn and came to this tiny little village rammed full of people and Johnny Sexton walks down.
"He said he was going to come but I said you didn't have to come. I think they were having another child at the time and I said 'Johnny you don't have to come' and he said 'No, I'll be there'.
"And obviously that means a lot, the effort that people make. "
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