The Racing Metro out-half discussed a whole range of rugby related topics with us this week…
Some big developments in Irish rugby this week with the news that Racing Metro have offered Jonny Sexton a new four-year contract, the player will make a decision on his future in the next few weeks.
Sexton was in Dublin this week and JOE’s Joe Harrington headed along to an adidas Predator ® Incurza Kicking Masterclass to have a chat with the Ireland number 10.
Sexton on… settling into life in Paris
“I’ve said it quite a lot — there’s your life and there’s the rugby side of things. At different stages one has been brilliant and the other has been tough and then vice versa. There are lots of challenges that go with living abroad especially for a homebird like myself and (my wife) Laura as well.
“There are two sides of it and there are ups and downs along the way but I suppose I’ll appreciate it in years to come. I’ll have another language and I’ve done it.
“I think I will appreciate it more down the line. When everything is about rugby, it can be tougher to enjoy the life side of things and the lifestyle. It’s hard to know.”
Sexton on… balancing his international career with the demands of playing in the French Top 14
“You have to look after yourself a bit better over there. You have to do everything you can recovery-wise to make sure you are fit. I played so many games week-in, week-out at the start of last season, which I hadn’t done before, that you need to develop ways to look after your body and stay fit.
“I probably picked up things along the way, like I did from Brad Thorn during his time at Leinster and Brian (O’Driscoll) towards the end of his career. You have to do all those things to manage yourself.”
Sexton on… Racing Metro’s positive start to the new season after a difficult first season
“We thought at the time that it was going to be easy enough because of the players that we had signed, all really top-quality players.
“We had the language barrier, new coaches and new staff. Everyone was kind of working around each other and it was a bit of a recipe for disaster. They even say it themselves, that they did too much too soon. Hopefully we will see the benefits of it this year.”
Sexton on… next year’s World Cup and how much it will impact this season
“It would be at the back of your mind even at this stage but I’m just thinking as far ahead as the Champions Cup starting and the November Internationals. Especially with Joe Schmidt, it’s always one game at a time and I suppose that’s a thing I’ve taken from working with him.
“I don’t see the World Cup as being at the end of this season. It will be a new season because we’ll have a holiday at the end of this season, we’re going to have a full pre-season before the World Cup. I think there’s four warm-up matches then so I view it as the start of next season rather than this season.”
Sexton on… the fact that more senior Irish players haven’t moved abroad like he has done
“Obviously Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip were the high-profile ones last year and we had a bit of a joke that I’m still looking for a bit of commission of their deals (laughs). Ah no, going forward it looks like the IRFU and the provinces are working closer together.
“I think it’s so important that the players stay in Ireland from a welfare point of view and being looked after for the internationals. Yeah, it’s important that they stay.”
Sexton on… his younger brother Jerry heading over to Exeter
“Yeah, he’s gone over there for four months. He was with Auch in the French Pro D2 and that’s one hell of a league, he sent me some videos of the brawls and all of that. He had a great experience there though, he’s a young second row/back row and he obviously needs that experience of being beaten up a little bit.
“He had planned to go to Mont-de-Marsan and that kind of fell through and he was at home going to play for St Mary’s for the year. Exeter are down a few second rows and they asked him over for a trial and he’s loving it, I told him it was a great set up from talking to the lads that are there.
“We played against them a few times, they’re a serious outfit. There are no superstars in the side but they have a great team ethic and I thought it’d be a great opportunity and he went and did it so hopefully something will come of that and he’ll get a break.”
In the Zone: Jonny Sexton pictured at adidas Predator ® Incurza Kicking Masterclass with ambassadors Paddy Jackson, Paul Flynn and Eoin Cadogan. The new adidas incurza boot is designed with two precision kicking zones giving GAA and rugby players greater control and accuracy. Available now from adidas.ie and Life Style Sports stores nationwide.
