Ian Madigan reveals that envy of Johnny Sexton was a big reason why he left Leinster

Former Ireland fly-half Ian Madigan has said that he grew envious of Johnny Sexton while he was with Leinster and Ireland.

Madigan was often the Ireland playmaker's understudy at both provincial and international level before he eventually left Irish Rugby in 2016 for Bordeaux in the south of France. The 29-year-old is currently with Premiership bound Bristol but he said that wanting to be the player that called the shots was a big factor in his desire to leave Leinster. “I was probably envious of what Johnny had with Ireland and Leinster,” Madigan told The Telegraph. “I wanted to be that guy myself, to have that connection with the coaches, to be able to call the shots on the pitch, and that was a big reason why I left Leinster.” Madigan also said that moving to a new club has helped him shake the mercurial tag that followed him throughout his career in Ireland. The Dubliner spent seven seasons with the Leinster first team but said that moving to two new clubs provided him with an opportunity to redefine his perception as a player. “When you are breaking into the system in Ireland, I was breaking in as a 20, 21 year-old and you can certainly get branded with certain tags," he added. "It could be, ‘he is not a good tactical kicker’, or ‘he is not a good talker on the field’, or whatever it might be. "While you might iron those parts out of your game as your career moves on, you can still be tagged with them if you have been at a club for six, seven, eight years. "I do think going to a different club allows you to get a fresh start, I feel you can prove them in a new environment. Maybe I am not as much of a maverick as I used to be, maybe I am more of a consistent fly-half as I have gotten older. It is something I have been allowed to do.” Bristol coach Pat Lam hailed Madigan as 'outstanding' last month and said that he consulted Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt before signing him to the West Country club.