Johnny Sexton is a former Irish rugby union player who played as a midfielder and captained the Ireland national team from 2019 to 2023. He also played club rugby for Leinster and Racing 92.
He won the 2018 World Rugby Player of the Year award, becoming only the second Irish player in history to win the award.
He is Ireland’s record points scorer. He is widely regarded as one of the finest midfielders of his generation and a leader both on and off the field.
File
- Full Name: Jonathan Sexton
- Date of birth: July 11, 1985
- Age: 38 years old
- Gender: Male
- Place of birth: Dublin, Ireland
- Nationality: Irish
- Occupation: Former rugby player
- Height: 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
- Parents: Jerry and Fionnuala Sexton
- Siblings: Susan, Mark and David Sexton
- Spouse: Laura Priestley
- Children: Luca, Amy and Sophie Sexton
- Relationship status: Married
- Net worth: 10 million euros
Early life and 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.
On the other hand, his mother’s name is Fionnuala. Johnny was raised with three siblings, including an older sister named Susan and two older brothers named Mark and David.
He attended St. Mary’s College, where he excelled at rugby and football. He led his school to the 2002 Leinster Schools Cup, scoring the winning goal and earning an invitation to Leinster.
He also played for the Ireland U19 and U21 teams and represented Ireland at the 2004 Rugby World Cup. 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 is a patron of the Irish charity GOAL.
He is also a Manchester United fan and enjoys playing golf and chess in his spare time.
Career
Johnny Sexton began his professional rugby career with Leinster in 2006. He made his debut against the Border Reivers in the Celtic League and quickly 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 played a key role in Leinster’s back-to-back Heineken Cup victories in 2011 and 2012, scoring 28 and 15 points in the finals against Northampton Saints and Ulster respectively. 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 midfielder in 2010 and was part of the team that won the Six Nations Grand Slam in 2018, Ireland’s first since 2009.
He also played a key role in Ireland’s historic victories over New Zealand in 2016 and 2018, scoring the winning goal in the latter match.
He was named the 2018 World Rugby Player of the Year, 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 lost to New Zealand in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup. He is Ireland’s all-time leading points scorer, with 1,024 points in 110 caps.
Sexton also represented the British & Irish Lions on the 2013 and 2017 tours. He played in six Test matches and scored 49 points.
He was a member of the Lions teams that won against Australia in 2013 and drew with New Zealand in 2017.
Sexton left Leinster in 2013 to join Racing 92, a French club, on a two-year deal worth €2 million.
He helped Racing 92 reach the 2014 Top 14 final and the 2016 Champions Cup final, where they lost to Saracens.
He returned to Leinster in 2015 and played for the team until his retirement in 2023. He won two more Champions Cup titles with Leinster in 2018 and 2021 and two Pro14 titles in 2018 and 2020.
Argumentative
Johnny Sexton has faced some controversy during his career, mainly due to his outspokenness and injuries.
He has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with some refereeing decisions and disciplinary procedures in rugby and has frequently clashed with authorities and the media.
Some of his critics and opponents have also accused him of being arrogant and selfish. He has also suffered a number of injuries, notably a concussion, which have raised concerns about his health and longevity in the game.
He was forced to miss several important matches due to injury and was advised by former teammates and coaches to retire early.
Social media
- Instagram Name: @sexton_johnny10
- Twitter Username: @JohnnySexton
Net worth
Johnny Sexton’s net worth is estimated to be €10 million. He earned the majority of his fortune from his rugby career, as well as from endorsement deals and investments.
He is one of the highest paid rugby players in the world, earning €750,000 a year from his contract with Leinster and €500,000 a year from his contract with Ireland.
