Six Nations key stars: Mercurial Johnny Sexton set for another strong campaign

Dylan Coetzee
Six Nations: Ireland captain Johnny Sexton gives a thumbs up during a Test France

The 2023 Six Nations begins this weekend, and fans can expect another blockbuster Championship filled with sensational rugby, team tries and moments of individual brilliance.

In anticipation of the start of Rugby’s Greatest Championship, Planet Rugby has a closer look at key players from each team.

Next up is Ireland veteran and skipper Johnny Sexton.

Background

Sexton was born in Dublin and shone as a rugby player in his younger years with his secondary school St Mary’s College, earning his representation at Ireland Schools and U21 levels before starting his club career with Leinster in 2006.

Despite playing for Ireland A before, the playmaker would only establish himself truly in the Leinster squad in 2009 – a year after winning the PRO12 – where he starred in the side’s Champions Cup final triumph over Leicester Tigers, kicking a long-range drop goal, two penalties and a conversion.

Sexton would go on to win two more Champions Cups in 2011 and 2012, making vital contributions and claiming man of the match in the first of those two finals. In 2013 the Leinster star would add a Challenge Cup to his growing trophy cabinet.

He would guide his team to a PRO12 title the following season before bidding farewell to the Dublin side and making a move to Racing 92.

Sexton would return to the Irish province after two years in 2015 and, in 2017/2018, became Leinster’s top points scorer of all-time en route to a double silverware season as the Dublin men won the PRO14 and Champions Cup.

In 2018, Sexton was named club captain, leading the club to three successive titles.

On the Test scene, the fly-half made his debut against Fiji in 2009 and has since won over 100 caps for his country.

The pivot would battle with the great Ronan O’Gara for Ireland’s number 10 jersey for a few of years, producing blockbuster performances along the way.

That was until 2014 and 2015, when Sexton truly came into his own in the Irish set-up, powering his country to back-to- back Six Nations titles.

Sexton’s influence would continue to grow, typified by a solid performance in Ireland’s first win over the All Blacks in Chicago in 2016.

In 2018, after winning the Grand Slam, courtesy of match winning drop goal against France, and a Test series in Australia, the star would walk away with the World Rugby Player of the Year award, becoming only the second Irish player to do so.

Sexton captained Ireland for the first time at the 2019 Rugby World Cup before taking over the captaincy completely the following season.

Since then, he has led Ireland to a series win in New Zealand – the first country to win a Test series there in the professional era – the summit of the world rankings and a Triple Crown in 2022.

Sexton has earned two call-ups for the British & Irish Lions in 2013 and 2017, playing six times. However, his omission from the 2021 squad was a massive surprise to the rugby world, with coach Warren Gatland admitting after the tour that the veteran proved him wrong.

Strengths

Sexton is one of the most complete fly-halves the game has ever seen and will certainly rival O’Gara for the best Irish 10 in history.

He can do everything from kicking to distribution and is handy with ball in hand. However, what sets Sexton apart is the ability to understand the game and play it accordingly.

He is mercurial and an absolute master of the fly-half position. Despite his age, Sexton has continued to improve and is extremely influential in any team he plays in.

In the latter years of his career, Sexton has added bold and powerful leadership to his quiver, making him a coach’s dream.

Weaknesses

It is very difficult to pinpoint any notable weaknesses for the Irishman, but there are a few blemishes to address.

Sexton is fairly injury prone, often sidelined with a small niggle or a minor injury. Outside of that, the star has been known to be a bit too chatty with officials and, at times, frustrated with team-mates.

In fairness, those blemishes are so minuscule when compared to the massive influence Sexton can have on a game.

Six Nations history

Sexton already has an impressive Six Nations legacy, with three titles, including one Grand Slam and two Triple Crowns. The star is third on the all-time point-scoring list with 531 and could become the leading scorer after this year’s Championship.

The 37-year-old has kicked the most conversions in Six Nations history and is eight penalties for kicking the most three-pointers in history.

Needless to say, Sexton is a Six Nations great, and he will be looking to power Ireland to a Grand Slam in 2023.

Why Sexton is crucial for Ireland

The pivot’s influence is incomparable from a leadership standpoint and from a pure quality standpoint.

The Irish skipper is a legend of the game and is a master orchestrator of a rugby game. When he pulls the strings, it instils confidence in the players around him.

Sexton can change a game in the blink of an eye or control one right from the start. The bottom line is the Irishman can execute just about anything the team needs and the value in that alone

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