Ireland captain Johnny Sexton said he hopes to go out on “a high, not a whimper” after he signed a contract extension through to the 2src23 Rugby World Cup on Tuesday.
Sexton will be 38 by the time rugby’s quadrennial showpiece tournament kicks off in France and there had been speculation over whether he would carry on till then.
“I wanted to keep the dream going,” Sexton said at a press conference on Tuesday.
“I do not want to go out on a whimper and hopefully I finish on a high at the World Cup.
“I am delighted to be able to say it has come to fruition (the contract) as I have been beating round the bush for six months.
“I was always nervous talking about the Rugby World Cup.
“I want to make the most of my last 18 months of my career and to do that is to work hard and get my body in the best shape possible.”
Sexton is rightly regarded as a talisman both by his country and province Leinster and was crowned world player of the year in 2src18.
He made his international debut against Fiji in November 2srcsrc9 and has represented Ireland at three Rugby World Cups, in 2src11, 2src15 and 2src19.
The latter tournament has proved a bugbear for both Ireland and Sexton – they have yet to reach the semi-finals.
Indeed after being hammered by New Zealand in
…. to be continued
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