Biography & Career Of Johnny Sexton

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Biography & Career Of Johnny Sexton

Johnny Sexton is a former Irish rugby player who played as a fly-half and captained the Ireland national team from 2019 until 2023. He also played club rugby for Leinster and Racing 92.

He won World Rugby Player of the Year in 2018 and is the second Irish player in history to win the award.

He is the record points scorer for Ireland. He is widely regarded as one of the best fly-halves of his generation and a leader on and off the field.

Early Life & Education

Johnny Sexton, now 38 years old in 2023, was born on July 11, 1985, in Dublin, Ireland. His father, Jerry, played for St. Mary’s College and his uncle, John, played for Ireland.

His mother, the other hand, is called Fionnuala. Johnny was raised alongside three siblings, including a sister named Susan and two brothers named Mark and David.

He attended St. Mary’s College, where he excelled in rugby and soccer. He led his school to the Leinster Schools Cup title in 2002, scoring the winning drop goal and earning himself an invite to Leinster.

He also played for the Ireland under-19 and under-21 teams and represented Ireland at the 2004 World Rugby Under-21 Championship. He graduated from University College Dublin with a degree in economics in 2007.

Personal Life

Johnny Sexton married Laura Priestley, a teacher, in 2013. They have three children: Luca, born in 2014; Amy, born in 2016; and Sophie, born in 2019.

They live in Dublin, where Sexton owns a property portfolio worth €6 million. Sexton is a devout Catholic and a patron of the Irish charity GOAL.

He is also a fan of Manchester United and enjoys playing golf and chess in his spare time.

Career

Johnny Sexton began his professional rugby career with Leinster in 2006. He debuted against Border Reivers in the Celtic League and soon became a regular starter.

He won his first trophy with Leinster in 2008, when they lifted the Heineken Cup after beating Leicester Tigers in the final.

He was instrumental in Leinster’s back-to-back Heineken Cup triumphs in 2011 and 2012, scoring 28 and 15 points in the finals against Northampton Saints and Ulster. He also won three Celtic League titles and a Challenge Cup with Leinster.

Sexton made his international debut for Ireland in 2009 against Fiji. He became Ireland’s first-choice fly-half in 2010 and was part of the team that won the Six Nations Grand Slam in 2018, the first for Ireland since 2009.

He also played a key role in Ireland’s historic victories over New Zealand in 2016 and 2018, scoring the winning drop goal in the latter.

He was named World Rugby Player of the Year in 2018, becoming the second Irish player to receive the honour after Brian O’Driscoll in 2009.

He also captained Ireland at the 2019 and 2023 World Cups, reaching the quarter-finals on both occasions.

He retired from international rugby after Ireland’s loss to New Zealand in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup. He is Ireland’s all-time record points scorer, with 1,024 points in 110 caps.

Sexton also represented the British & Irish Lions on their 2013 and 2017 tours. He played in six tests, scoring 49 points.

He was part of the Lions team that won against Australia in 2013 and drew the series against New Zealand in 2017.

Sexton left Leinster in 2013 to join Racing 92, a French club, on a lucrative two-year contract worth €2 million.

He helped Racing 92 reach the final of the Top 14 in 2014 and the final of the Champions Cup in 2016, where they lost to Saracens.

He returned to Leinster in 2015 and played for them until his retirement in 2023. He won two more Champions Cup titles with Leinster in 2018 and 2021 and two more Pro14 titles in 2018 and 2020.

Controversy

Johnny Sexton has faced some controversy in his career, mainly due to his outspokenness and injuries.

He has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with some of the refereeing decisions and the disciplinary procedures in rugby and has often clashed with the authorities and the media.

Some of his critics and opponents have also accused him of being arrogant and selfish. He has also suffered from several injuries, especially concussions, which have raised concerns about his health and his longevity in the game.

He has been forced to miss some important matches due to his injuries and has been advised to retire early by his former teammates and coaches.

Net Worth

Johnny Sexton’s net worth is estimated at €10 million. He earned most of his wealth from his rugby career, as well as from his endorsements and investments.

He was one of the highest-paid rugby players in the world, earning €750,000 per year from his contract with Leinster and €500,000 per year from his contract with Ireland.