Johnny Sexton insists Ireland are ready for ‘toughest game we’ve ever faced’
Ireland skipper Johnny Sexton hung up his boots after his side were dumped out of the Rugby World Cup by New Zealand in a crushing 28-24 quarter-final defeat earlier this month. However, the 38-year-old has already landed a job outside of rugby despite only retiring from the sport a few days ago.
In fact, he has actually held a role with the same company for the last two years already. Since April 2021, Sexton has been working as a commercial manager for Ardagh Group, a supplier of glass and metal packaging based in Luxembourg.
Prior to the World Cup, Sexton had been working one day a week for the group but is now expected to take on a more involved role. He also owns his own management company, JAS Management and Promotions Ltd, which accumulated profits of £2.431m in 2022 – an increase of nearly £305,000 on the previous year’s earnings.
Sexton has also been tipped to make a move into Ireland’s coaching set-up after a stellar 14-year run playing for his country. According to the Irish Mirror, Ireland assistant coach Mike Catt is set to leave his post after next year’s Six Nations, leaving the door open for Sexton to potentially take over.
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has always spoken passionately about Sexton’s positive impact on the rest of the squad and would surely want to keep him around in some capacity post-retirement.
“I think a lot of our group are still learning and I said to the group in the changing room the reason they’re going to keep on learning is because of this guy (Sexton) sat beside me here,” said Farrell after Ireland’s defeat to New Zealand.
“The impact that he’s had on the rest of the team over the last four years has been amazing.
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“And the way that he’s conducted himself as a leader and as a player and the way that he’s shown the love of playing for Ireland will be remembered and connected to this group for many years to come. Through his example, the younger guys will keep on getting better and striving to be better, there’s no doubt about that.”
Sexton represented Ireland 119 times as an international, making him his country’s fifth-most-capped player of all time. During a glistening career, the legendary fly-half won four Six Nations Championships including two Grand Slams and was named the World Rugby Player of the Year in 2018.
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