Johnny Sexton, the captain of Ireland, was presented with an opportunity to reconsider his decision to retire post the Rugby World Cup, courtesy of a substantial contract offer from Japan.
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Sexton faced disappointment as his aspirations of retiring as an Ireland player with a World Cup victory were shattered by a formidable All Blacks display in the quarter-finals back in October, leaving him deflated.
For Ireland captain Sexton, this was not the fairy-tale ending he, his team, and his nation had envisioned. In an interview with the Irish Times, the veteran fly-half, who retired after the 2023 Rugby World Cup, confirmed that coaching is not in his immediate plans.
Sexton expressed, “I would never say never; you never know what life is going to throw at you. Coaching wouldn’t be my plan right away. If an offer came in, it wouldn’t be right for me to coach with guys I played with in the last number of years.”
He added, “I certainly wouldn’t want to jeopardize this year because if they find out you’re coaching them, the relationship changes straight away. I won’t be doing it for the foreseeable future. Rugby is my passion, it’s all I’ve known. I’ve been doing it for 20 years, longer maybe, when I was a kid. But I think it’s important to step away from it to try another walk of life. And then we’ll see what happens.”
Sexton revealed new plans, stating, “I’ll go and see if I can do something in the business world. I’ve been doing a bit of work experience there over the last few years, one day a week, so I’ll go into that and see how it goes. It might not be for me. I might get the itch straight away and come out of retirement, play for St Marys!”
In the previous year, the management company owned by Johnny Sexton, the renowned rugby captain of Ireland, saw a significant rise in accumulated profits, surging by nearly £307,000, reaching an impressive total of almost £2.5m.
Despite reports of a tempting one-year deal worth close to £700,000 to continue playing in the Japanese top flight and shelve his retirement plans, Sexton, with a new job already confirmed, is focused on preserving his future career rather than opting for a quick cash grab today.
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Sir Ian McGeechan Asked To Name His All-Time XV, He Said Only One ‘Unbelievable’ Player Is Guaranteed A Spot
Sir Ian McGeechan has unveiled his ultimate XV, omitting Paul O’Connell, David Campese, and Jonny Wilkinson from his lineup.
In his article for The Telegraph, the 74-year-old has chosen six New Zealanders, three Englishmen, two Welsh players, and one each from France, Scotland, and Ireland in his all-time greatest team.
BACK-THREE
Fullback: JPR Williams (Wales) – “Not a staggeringly original choice, I’ll admit. But to my mind the only one. If I’m going to be picking a dream XV then I want JPR at the back. No question, guarenteed starter.”
Left-wing: Jonah Lomu (New Zealand) – “Illness and injury ultimately slowed him down. But his performances at the 1995 World Cup, just as the game was turning professional, will never be forgotten. The game needed a superstar, and it got one in Lomu. He was brilliant for rugby.”
Right-wing: John Kirwan (New Zealand) – “He had an all round game; he could carry the ball through heavy traffic, he could offload, he was like an extra back-rower at times. Plus, he had natural effortless pace. He ended up scoring 35 tries for the All Blacks and was instrumental as they went through their unbeaten spell of games between 1987 and 1990.”
CENTRES
Outside-centre: Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland) – “His ability to get back on his feet after tackling to compete for the ball was extraordinary, and ensured he always had an impact on the game, whatever type of game it was. He was such a natural talent.”
Inside-centre: Philippe Sella (France) – “Sella and O’Driscoll were powerful men. They could stop a forward in his tracks. I think as a pair they would dominate any midfield and I like the thought of them together.”