The 38-year-old heads into retirement as arguably his country’s greatest player.
Johnny Sexton made his 118th and final appearance for Ireland in Saturday’s World Cup defeat to New Zealand In a city synonymous with love, art and literature, the thrilling final chapter in the career of one of rugby’s finest creative talents was written.
Paris, where the influential fly-half spent two seasons with Racing 92 between trophy-laden spells with Leinster, was always destined to provide the backdrop for his last act.Following successful sojourns in Bordeaux and Nantes, Ireland headed to Saint-Denis for the remainder of their 2023 World Cup fixtures – a minimum of two, a maximum of five.Sexton bid adieu by weeping in front of the watching world amid comforting words from his son Luca.
Following a slightly rocky start to his captaincy during the disruption of the coronavirus pandemic, he and the team flourished under the masterful man-management of Andy Farrell.Sexton – a two-time British and Irish Lion tourist, in 2013 and 2017 – was snubbed by Warren Gatland for the series in South Africa and later confessed it “hurt like hell”.
Sexton limped from the field that milestone day in what proved to be his final appearance on home soil.
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