Zürcher Nachrichten - Sexton hopes to go out on a high at 2023 World Cup

EUR -
AED 4.278562
AFN 80.439798
ALL 97.636168
AMD 447.169487
ANG 2.084779
AOA 1068.191957
ARS 1483.72337
AUD 1.785183
AWG 2.096778
AZN 1.985098
BAM 1.956525
BBD 2.351071
BDT 141.362366
BGN 1.957431
BHD 0.439233
BIF 3470.285525
BMD 1.164877
BND 1.494654
BOB 8.045981
BRL 6.47299
BSD 1.164431
BTN 100.244134
BWP 15.633791
BYN 3.810712
BYR 22831.579684
BZD 2.338966
CAD 1.598275
CDF 3361.833794
CHF 0.932315
CLF 0.029216
CLP 1121.158148
CNY 8.368124
CNH 8.363761
COP 4672.995328
CRC 587.617676
CUC 1.164877
CUP 30.869228
CVE 110.305861
CZK 24.622929
DJF 207.146735
DKK 7.463411
DOP 70.326051
DZD 151.713943
EGP 57.558604
ERN 17.473148
ETB 161.791734
FJD 2.623071
FKP 0.868492
GBP 0.865556
GEL 3.157063
GGP 0.868492
GHS 12.139497
GIP 0.868492
GMD 83.293695
GNF 10103.74281
GTQ 8.940312
GYD 243.620246
HKD 9.142918
HNL 30.475289
HRK 7.538845
HTG 152.886635
HUF 399.039732
IDR 18994.476445
ILS 3.910747
IMP 0.868492
INR 100.342289
IQD 1525.365053
IRR 49055.85197
ISK 142.033977
JEP 0.868492
JMD 186.208979
JOD 0.825902
JPY 172.97481
KES 150.443546
KGS 101.868538
KHR 4666.768811
KMF 495.651804
KPW 1048.430728
KRW 1619.073489
KWD 0.355951
KYD 0.970359
KZT 620.749949
LAK 25111.302179
LBP 104333.048921
LKR 351.310139
LRD 233.46849
LSL 20.616737
LTL 3.439578
LVL 0.704622
LYD 6.333346
MAD 10.5293
MDL 19.807337
MGA 5181.91958
MKD 61.582813
MMK 2445.37205
MNT 4177.975193
MOP 9.413968
MRU 46.320159
MUR 53.232587
MVR 17.945955
MWK 2019.147969
MXN 21.807397
MYR 4.941991
MZN 74.504928
NAD 20.616737
NGN 1780.420371
NIO 42.855875
NOK 11.8297
NPR 160.390415
NZD 1.949144
OMR 0.447877
PAB 1.164431
PEN 4.144835
PGK 4.821786
PHP 66.445688
PKR 331.630048
PLN 4.250868
PYG 9012.338512
QAR 4.233768
RON 5.074432
RSD 117.157308
RUB 91.446375
RWF 1682.637758
SAR 4.36955
SBD 9.667132
SCR 17.104812
SDG 699.507822
SEK 11.25107
SGD 1.494723
SHP 0.91541
SLE 26.617048
SLL 24426.882668
SOS 665.446507
SRD 42.962995
STD 24110.591973
SVC 10.188774
SYP 15146.223511
SZL 20.612636
THB 37.706947
TJS 11.207652
TMT 4.088717
TND 3.423168
TOP 2.728255
TRY 47.03889
TTD 7.904928
TWD 34.183342
TZS 3035.420109
UAH 48.629314
UGX 4172.545669
USD 1.164877
UYU 46.927384
UZS 14739.460055
VES 136.249723
VND 30473.169619
VUV 139.450355
WST 3.067463
XAF 656.205717
XAG 0.030346
XAU 0.000347
XCD 3.148137
XDR 0.817485
XOF 656.200081
XPF 119.331742
YER 281.142633
ZAR 20.635735
ZMK 10485.294495
ZMW 26.810932
ZWL 375.089762
  • CMSC

    0.0900

    22.314

    +0.4%

  • CMSD

    0.0250

    22.285

    +0.11%

  • RBGPF

    0.0000

    69.04

    0%

  • SCS

    0.0400

    10.74

    +0.37%

  • RELX

    0.0300

    53

    +0.06%

  • RIO

    -0.1400

    59.33

    -0.24%

  • GSK

    0.1300

    41.45

    +0.31%

  • NGG

    0.2700

    71.48

    +0.38%

  • BP

    0.1750

    30.4

    +0.58%

  • BTI

    0.7150

    48.215

    +1.48%

  • BCC

    0.7900

    91.02

    +0.87%

  • JRI

    0.0200

    13.13

    +0.15%

  • VOD

    0.0100

    9.85

    +0.1%

  • BCE

    -0.0600

    22.445

    -0.27%

  • RYCEF

    0.1000

    12

    +0.83%

  • AZN

    -0.1200

    73.71

    -0.16%

Sexton hopes to go out on a high at 2023 World Cup
Sexton hopes to go out on a high at 2023 World Cup

Sexton hopes to go out on a high at 2023 World Cup

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 2023 Rugby World Cup on Tuesday.

Text size:

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 2018.

He made his international debut against Fiji in November 2009 and has represented Ireland at three Rugby World Cups, in 2011, 2015 and 2019.

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 the 2019 World Cup Sexton remarked the manner of the defeat will be "raw for four years."

"One of the biggest factors for me was talking to fellows who had retired after a World Cup and the disappointment they felt at not performing," he said on Tuesday, of his decision to carry on till 2023.

"Agewise a lot of players performed at the top of their game well into their thirties -- take Richie McCaw and Brad Thorn, they won the World Cup trophy aged 34 and 36."

Sexton is a two-time British and Irish Lions tourist, in 2013 and 2017, and has won three Six Nations titles with Ireland -- including the 2018 Grand Slam -- and five European Cups with Leinster.

- 'A lost puppy' -

David Nucifora, IRFU Performance Director, said Sexton had proved in his performances since the 2019 World Cup that he was still one of the world's top players.

"Johnny’s performances continue to be of the highest standard and he remains an integral member of the Ireland and Leinster squads," said Nucifora.

"He has always been a leader on the field and in the past two years since taking on the Ireland captaincy his leadership off it has been top class."

Sexton's first match in his final 18 months chapter of his career will be the daunting Six Nations clash with England at Twickenham on Saturday.

Both sides have lost a match apiece but are still in with a chance of winning the title though France hold the whip hand with three wins from three matches.

England head coach Eddie Jones has labelled the Irish as favourites for the game.

"It is irrelevant," said Sexton. "We have not won many times over there in the recent past.

"This game will be decided by who can put their best performance out there.

"We will prepare down to the finest detail such as the atmosphere that is going to hit us and their intensity.

"It will be a great test to see if we learned lessons from the French game (Ireland lost 30-24 in Paris) and if we can adapt in an away stadium."

Sexton also cast an eye further ahead after the World Cup.

"I will be able to have a beer or a glass of wine a bit more often," he said with a smile.

"It has been an absolute dream to do what I have done and for so long as I have I pinch myself.

"When I hang up my boots I will be like a lost puppy but hopefully not for too long."

W.Vogt--NZN