Leinster and Ireland captain, Johnny Sexton, has admitted that it is unlikely that he will play for Leinster again.
Sexton has not played since Ireland's Grand Slam win over England last month. The 37-year-old picked up a groin injury in the game and has missed Leinster's Champions Cup games against Leicester Tigers and Ulster.
He also missed Leinster's draw against Cell C Sharks in the United Rugby Championship.
The out-half still plans to play in the Rugby World Cup this year, and after that, he will retire from professional rugby. The Leinster player has made 189 appearances for Leinster since making his debut in 2006.
He has gone on to win four Champions Cups, one Challenge Cup, and six URC titles for Leinster. However, his last game for his province was against Connacht on New Year's Day.
Speaking to The Sunday Times, Sexton said:
“Back in January after I cracked a bone in my face against Connacht, Laura said, ‘If you could choose one thing now, which would it be: a Grand Slam or a fifth Heineken Cup with Leinster? I said, ‘I don’t have to choose. I can do both.’ And that was my aim.
"It’s a bit upsetting to miss out with Leinster," Sexton told The Sunday Times.
Exclusive interview with Johnny Sexton in today’s @TimesSport:
‘I wish the 40 games I played for Racing had been for Leinster, I’d be happier as a one-club man.’https://t.co/59v0rqAJnh— Peter O'Reilly (@petersuntimes) April 9, 2023
"People say, 'you’ve still got the World Cup,’ and that’s true, please God. What I wanted to get across was that, in a sense, playing for Leinster meant as much as playing for Ireland, or almost as much."
Sexton also had a spell in France's Top 14 playing for Racing 92 but returned to his home province in 2015. The talisman went on to add in the interview that he wished his time in France could have been played in Leinster.
“I was obviously away for two seasons in France, but I wish the 40 games I played for Racing had been played for Leinster,” he says.
“I look at it two ways. I’m proud to have won plenty with Leinster. I also started relatively late as it took me a while to break into the team.
"I’d just be happier looking at a CV that said 230-plus games for Leinster. And I’d be happier to have been a one-club man.”
Ireland's next game will be against Italy and England in the Aviva Stadium in World Cup warm-ups in August. However, Sexton will not feature until the World Cup starts next Autumn.
Before that, his club side Leinster play Toulouse in the Champions Cup semi-finals at the end of this month.
