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

EUR -
AED 4.232438
AFN 81.7399
ALL 97.895927
AMD 444.690649
ANG 2.06248
AOA 1056.812299
ARS 1342.051944
AUD 1.776305
AWG 2.07444
AZN 1.963769
BAM 1.955319
BBD 2.326228
BDT 140.905351
BGN 1.956255
BHD 0.434593
BIF 3431.056288
BMD 1.152467
BND 1.480136
BOB 7.961042
BRL 6.353668
BSD 1.152117
BTN 99.741473
BWP 15.528182
BYN 3.770473
BYR 22588.345428
BZD 2.314331
CAD 1.581934
CDF 3315.646835
CHF 0.942055
CLF 0.028263
CLP 1084.563727
CNY 8.284511
CNH 8.272986
COP 4705.142985
CRC 581.656968
CUC 1.152467
CUP 30.540365
CVE 110.237892
CZK 24.820447
DJF 205.169548
DKK 7.460613
DOP 68.323199
DZD 150.345929
EGP 58.324658
ERN 17.286999
ETB 158.433541
FJD 2.603941
FKP 0.85594
GBP 0.85647
GEL 3.135159
GGP 0.85594
GHS 11.867082
GIP 0.85594
GMD 82.4058
GNF 9982.545249
GTQ 8.854823
GYD 241.040727
HKD 9.046696
HNL 30.090601
HRK 7.536214
HTG 151.212816
HUF 402.706852
IDR 18944.591768
ILS 4.02004
IMP 0.85594
INR 99.807354
IQD 1509.328849
IRR 48547.656077
ISK 143.033075
JEP 0.85594
JMD 183.664836
JOD 0.817144
JPY 168.352902
KES 148.913382
KGS 100.783647
KHR 4617.864447
KMF 492.683845
KPW 1037.226262
KRW 1582.533008
KWD 0.35307
KYD 0.960164
KZT 602.06195
LAK 24856.887583
LBP 103230.815094
LKR 346.214864
LRD 230.423338
LSL 20.801885
LTL 3.402935
LVL 0.697116
LYD 6.280456
MAD 10.515714
MDL 19.811128
MGA 5148.733904
MKD 61.519872
MMK 2419.50369
MNT 4130.366588
MOP 9.315509
MRU 45.542801
MUR 52.575963
MVR 17.753793
MWK 1997.80873
MXN 22.112036
MYR 4.900869
MZN 73.712199
NAD 20.801885
NGN 1786.450441
NIO 42.399574
NOK 11.650198
NPR 159.586757
NZD 1.931967
OMR 0.443128
PAB 1.152117
PEN 4.137283
PGK 4.816816
PHP 65.888865
PKR 326.91661
PLN 4.268679
PYG 9195.738728
QAR 4.202067
RON 5.030175
RSD 117.20118
RUB 90.368278
RWF 1663.690891
SAR 4.323762
SBD 9.612065
SCR 16.999311
SDG 692.060432
SEK 11.146611
SGD 1.482116
SHP 0.905658
SLE 25.873303
SLL 24166.652664
SOS 658.438087
SRD 44.773754
STD 23853.731871
SVC 10.081521
SYP 14984.415101
SZL 20.797886
THB 37.818235
TJS 11.377302
TMT 4.033633
TND 3.410561
TOP 2.699196
TRY 45.723145
TTD 7.830075
TWD 34.101261
TZS 3058.947791
UAH 48.287326
UGX 4152.978764
USD 1.152467
UYU 47.108416
UZS 14469.441901
VES 118.193176
VND 30112.223648
VUV 138.533142
WST 3.179258
XAF 655.795737
XAG 0.03201
XAU 0.000342
XCD 3.114599
XDR 0.815599
XOF 655.795737
XPF 119.331742
YER 279.707783
ZAR 20.740485
ZMK 10373.586524
ZMW 26.643448
ZWL 371.093776
  • 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."

(K.Lüdke--BBZ)