1
Veteran Sexton has given himself a keep-going-or-retire deadline
Veteran Ireland skipper Johnny Sexton has set himself a deadline to decide whether the upcoming 2021/22 season will be his last in the sport or if he has another final push capable of taking him through to the 2023 World Cup in France at the ripe old age of 38.
ADVERTISEMENT
It was last March, before the final two rounds of the 2021 Guinness Six Nations, when Sexton reached an agreement with the IRFU on the one-year deal that will see him line out as per usual in the colours of Ireland and Leinster in the months ahead.
However, the short-term length of that latest renewal highlighted how Sexton has very much arrived into the twilight stage of his stellar career. His deals with the IRFU have traditionally been for much longer than that but the sands have now shifted and it was bizarre to hear the veteran talking on Wednesday about lining out for Leinster in next week’s pre-season friendly versus Harlequins, the reigning Gallagher Premiership champions, in Dublin.
The IRFU policy has always been to rest their centrally contracted players in the early weeks of a new season. However, such is the changed situation Sexton now finds himself, especially after he failed to earn selection for the Lions tour, he is preparing to feature in his first pre-season Leinster friendly since their 2009 Donnybrook clash with London Irish twelve years ago.
Whether he plays on or not beyond the end of the 2021/22 season, retirement is not too far away in the distance for the long-serving Ireland talisman and asked by RugbyPass what his plans were for a post-playing career, he replied: “I have spoken to a lot of people, more around the preparation for life after rugby, how did you deal with it because when it means as much – it means a lot to me – and then it is just gone in a day, a lot of guys have struggled with it over the years. I spoke to a lot of guys around that.
LIONS TOUR FALLOUT:
Sexton on being in London on the same July day Marcus Smith got his surprise mid-tour call… and what he made of Warren Gatland's early May criticism of his durability#LionsRugby
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 1, 2021
“That is probably the most important thing, how you react to it emotionally and mentally, and then you plan for the future. I’m doing some sort of work experience, opportunities, at the moment. Well, I am doing one and that has been great. It has opened my eyes to the other side, the business world. And then I have thought about whether this will be my last year or not. Post-Six Nations next year is probably when you go, ‘Okay, how much rugby have I managed to get through this year, how have I played, am I still getting picked, do Leinster and Ireland still want me?’
“There are so many things to consider. At that point I will weigh everything up but, like I said, you can be finished on an injury so you can’t plan too far ahead as I found out at the back end of last year. I’m just trying to make the most of it at the moment and enjoy every bit of it.”
ADVERTISEMENT
* MACE brand ambassador and Ireland and Leinster star Johnny Sexton was speaking having spent time with the Ardee RFC U14 team, who were selected from the thousands of entries received from all over Ireland in an exclusive MACE competition for the opportunity to win a money-can’t-buy training session with the Ireland captain
Gatland had his homework done in coming up with this explanation #LionsRugby #Lions2021 #Lionshttps://t.co/ugI0GhPDJG
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 6, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
No Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
5 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
5 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
18 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to comments