LAST UPDATE | 2 Nov 2021
JOHNNY SEXTON SAYS he doesn’t anticipate signing a new contract with the IRFU until after the 2022 Six Nations, but is determined to keep playing for Ireland.
Sexton – who is set to win his 100th Test cap this weekend – is out of contract at the end of the season, but remains a hugely important figure as Andy Farrell’s captain and first-choice out-half with the 2023 World Cup just two years away.
Sexton doesn’t expect any news on the contract front this side of Christmas, and while he outlined that he does hope to put pen to paper on a new deal, he also added that he will take his time before making any decision.
His current IRFU contract was announced back in March, right in the middle of Ireland’s 2021 Six Nations campaign.
“At the moment I’m loving it, I’m loving training, my body’s good, my mind is good and yeah, in an ideal world I’d love to keep going,” Sexton said.
“But what I learned last year is that you can’t plan too far ahead, you really can’t.
“I had everything planned around what I was going to do on the tour in the summer and then suddenly it’s up in smoke, so I’m taking it game by game, campaign by campaign.
I think the IRFU have been very good to me over the last seven years since I’ve come back from Paris in terms of… Like, we made a decision at the end of the Six Nations this year, I don’t think it will be any different this year, I think it will be wait until the end of that and see how we all are.”
Saturday’s game against Japan represents a significant fixture for the veteran out-half, who will turn 37 next July, as he prepares to join a select club by winning his 100th Test cap for Ireland.
“I honestly will try and leave talking about myself to other people, as much as I can,” Sexton continued, “but the ability to bounce back is something that I’d like to say I’d be proud of because in my career I’ve felt like I’ve had a lot of brilliant moments, a lot of winning trophies, all those things, all those special memories, but I’ve also had a hell of a lot of low points as well, which have always driven me.
“So I suppose if you want to be a good role model for kids looking in, it’s don’t give up and always try to bounce back, and that’s what I’d like to think people would see when they see me.”
Sexton’s achievement is all the more impressive given he didn’t make his Ireland debut until the age of 24.
“When you do get your first cap as late as I did, I know it’s not really old but compared to some other lads who get capped at 20, 21 – I had to work a long time to get that one cap and I was unbelievably happy to get the first one and they’re the most special ones.
And yeah, I never in a million years thought I’d still be playing but I think over the last few years I’ve just taken it year on year and see how I felt.
“In the back of my mind you always had it, obviously I was gutted to miss the French game last year because I knew if I had kept fit and kept my form that I would have played 100th against England.
“But everything happens for a reason and hopefully getting your 100th cap in front of some people (supporters) would be more special, I think, and I’m trying to focus on the game, I don’t want to get drawn away from how important the game is and trying to get a performance early.
“We often haven’t hit the ground running and need to make sure we can do that ahead of the Six Nations, making sure we hit the ground running from week one.”
Saturday will also represent the first time Sexton has faced Japan. He missed the 2019 World Cup game due to a quad injury and then wasn’t in the squad for this summer’s meeting at the Aviva Stadium.
“At the World Cup game, I remember watching them, I was on the pitch watching Ireland’s warm-up and was drawn into watching the Japanese team warm up and how good they were, how good their skills were, even though it was the warm-up they were going at such tempo.
“We obviously learned a hard lesson at the World Cup and they are just a team that are unbelievably well coached, that’s what I see when I look at them. You can tell how well drilled they are and obviously their coaches come with big reputations from what they did with the Highlanders and winning a Super (Rugby) title.
“So yeah, I can’t say enough about them and we will 100% give them the respect they deserve, we’re preparing as well as we prepare for anyone.”
First published today at 16.00
There’s no fly half good enough to replace him anyway. I’d be delighted if he played in another World Cup.
There’s a serious Irish operator across the water, light years ahead of any replacement out half’s here. Can’t remember his name, rhymes with Jaddy Packson or something
@Sam Murray: I live in west London, London Irish are my local team, and I watch a fair few premiership games, over here PJ is regarded as a mid table fly half for a mid table side. He’s fine, and on his day he can do a job at test level, but he’s 29 and been out of the system for years. Even if you stripped all the baggage away from him and looked at him just as a player, there’s no way he’s the answer at fly half for the next world cup.
@Peter Sullivan: quelle disastre
@Anthony James McLaughlin: fair point mate, but could you say any of the current crop of Irish ‘eligible’ 10s could fly it at a premiership club above Irish…bar Sexton of course.
Fact is, he’s streets ahead of the Byrnes, Burns & Carbery. Couldn’t be certain with Carty however
@Anthony James McLaughlin: he’s a top flyhalf playing for a midtable side. Billy Burns is a mid level fly half, and PJ is at least a level above that. A large number of english pundits belive he should be back in the irish squad. He is an international quality flyhalf you don’t win 25 caps without being international level. That was more Caps than Sexton had at the same age. At 29 he is in his prime and will still be in his prime come the WC. I doubt if Sexton will make another WC, who knows how his form will hold up and with the injury profile and age you couldnt relay on him, it would be better to go with PJ and carberry on bench and if sexton is fit and on form it would be a bonus.
@Sam Murray: absolute mute point. If P.J was the best out half in the world he still wouldn’t be back in the fold. IRFU would veto it
The greatest player to ever grace these shores !
@Darren Mullins: He’s the best currently, and it’s between him, Ronan O’Gara and Jack Kyle who’s the best 10 we ever produced. I’d say Brian O’Driscoll was the best ever to grace these shores. Imagine him and Mike Gibson as a centre pairing.
@Sustainable Hedgehog: ….never saw Kyle play but I’d have Campbell in that mix and give Dean more than an honourable mention…..and for me the real test of a 10 is how he performs behind a struggling pack and I think ROG did that more than most.
@Michael Murray: were the Munster pack not dominant for the majority of ROG’s career with Irish players etc?? Not a dig but I seem to remember it was up the jersey rugby from them back then…
@Will: ….well I was thinking internationally really but I’m not on here to be divisive at a provincial level…..and having allowed my old brain to delve into memories.. Most remember Mike Gibson as a world class centre but actually debuted at 10 in 1964 and played at 10 till 1968 when he moved to centre. In all my 60+ years watching rugby Gibson stands head and shoulders over every other player for Ireland , never mind 10s.
@Darren Mullins: wouldn’t fancy his chances in the front row … some world class forwards donned the green as well , POC, Woods, Slattery etc all should be in the mix as best Irish player , in the backs Kyle , Gibson , O Gara and O Driscoll would certainly be in the mix and you could argue if players like Tony O Reily or even Geoghagen played in these modern teams who knows .
I have never been his biggest fan but he is certainly in the list of best players we have produced, great pub talk yo select a winner…
@Will: we were never dominant and struggled with teams like Wasps , Leicester etc back in the day. Ireland always struggled against bigger packs particularly in the FR, that said we found a way to get on parr, in the second and back rows we probably held our own.
@Sustainable Hedgehog: you omitted ollie Campbell and tony ward there. And of course Eric Elwood and David humphries.
Surely there are some other players in the overall squad that you guys could find to write an article about? I’m sure there would be plenty on here happy to read about anyone else. And I’m a big fan of JS
@Leroy Jenkins: you mean like Ryan? Or Kelleher? Or Mack Hansen? They’ve all had articles since the last Sexton one last week.
@Leroy Jenkins: There must have been about ten on Zebo
Sexton is wooden and predictable. He’s good but he’s too angry, he screams at everyone around him. It’s not encouraging for players just to be roared at. Even O’Driscoll said it’s quite off putting and he’s v argumentative. We’ve done great 10’s coming thru and we’ll be fine. Just need to get them plenty of game time.