One-year deal leaves Ireland and Leinster planning for life after Sexton

IRELAND are not the only ones stepping up their plans for life after Johnny Sexton, as Leinster prepare for their captain to potentially bring the curtain down on his illustrious career next year.

Sexton (above) dropped a major hint that he doesn’t expect to be around for the 2023 World Cup, despite having “nearly” agreed a new one-year contract extension with the IRFU, which would take him up to the summer of 2022.

The Ireland captain will be just shy of 37 by that stage and it appears increasingly possible that next season may well be his last with Leinster and Ireland.

With so much uncertainty surrounding Ireland’s out-half position, the union are keen to keep Sexton on board beyond the current season, but the picture may well be about to improve, as Joey Carbery edges closer to his long-awaited comeback with Munster. Sexton is set to lead Ireland in Saturday’s Six Nations clash in Rome, as the skipper has returned to full training following a head injury.

Leinster backs coach Felipe Contepomi admitted Sexton would make up his own mind about when to retire, as the province aim to ensure they are well set whenever their talisman does call it a day.

“Leinster has to keep developing players and I think we are lucky enough we have some good young No 10s coming behind,” Contepomi said. “It’s still 18 months, it’s quite a fair bit (away). So, he still has a lot (of time) to think about it and sometimes, because it happened to me, you can go back and forth, and maybe he changes his mind.

“Everyone can give their own opinion on what they’d like to do or not to do, or what he should and shouldn’t do. It’s whatever really feels good for himself.”