# Johnny Sexton
**Johnny Sexton** (Jonathan Sexton) is a retired Irish rugby union fly-half who played for Leinster and [Racing 92](https://www.edgepedia.org/racing-92), captained Ireland, and finished his playing career after the 2023 [Rugby World Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/rugby-world-cup) as his country's all-time leading points scorer with 1,108 points from 118 caps[1](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/rugby/rugby-union/johnny-sexton-ireland-paris-new-zealand-luca-b2429984.html). He was named World Rugby Player of the Year in 2018 and now works as an assistant coach with the Ireland men's team[2](https://www.lionsrugby.com/en/news/moments-that-made-them-johnny-sexton) • [3](https://www.irishrugby.ie/2026/02/17/sexton-anytime-you-go-to-twickenham-is-a-huge-challenge/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ireland career | Debut against Fiji in November 2009; 118 caps and 1,108 points, Ireland's all-time record[1](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/rugby/rugby-union/johnny-sexton-ireland-paris-new-zealand-luca-b2429984.html) |
| Six Nations | Four titles (2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2023 include two Grand Slams and three Triple Crowns); record 566 Championship points[2](https://www.lionsrugby.com/en/news/moments-that-made-them-johnny-sexton) • [4](https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby-world-cup-player-profiles/2023/0825/1401683-johnny-sexton/) |
| Club honors | Four Heineken Champions Cups, one European Challenge Cup, and six United Rugby Championship/Pro14 titles with Leinster[2](https://www.lionsrugby.com/en/news/moments-that-made-them-johnny-sexton) |
| Clubs | Leinster 2006–2023 in two stints, either side of Racing 92 from 2013 to 2015[5](https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2023/1026/1413148-johnny-sexton-retirement-statement/) |
| British & Irish Lions | Two tours (2013 and 2017), Lion #791, 14 appearances in the red shirt[6](https://www.lionsrugby.com/en/teams/mens-team/johnny-sexton-JS228312?tab=profile) |
| Individual award | World Rugby Player of the Year 2018[2](https://www.lionsrugby.com/en/news/moments-that-made-them-johnny-sexton) |
| Career totals | 372 games and 3,175 points for Leinster, Ireland 'A', Racing 92, the Lions and Ireland over 17½ years[7](https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/2023/10/21/gerry-thornley-we-will-never-again-see-the-like-of-johnny-sexton/) |
| After playing | Part-time Ireland coach from the 2024 Autumn Nations Series, full-time IRFU assistant from August 2025, and Lions assistant coach on the 2025 tour of Australia[3](https://www.irishrugby.ie/2026/02/17/sexton-anytime-you-go-to-twickenham-is-a-huge-challenge/) • [6](https://www.lionsrugby.com/en/teams/mens-team/johnny-sexton-JS228312?tab=profile) |
## Leinster breakthrough
Sexton made his Leinster debut as a replacement against the Border Reivers on 7 April 2006[7](https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/2023/10/21/gerry-thornley-we-will-never-again-see-the-like-of-johnny-sexton/). His career turning point came in 2009, when Felipe Contepomi's knee injury in the Heineken Cup semi-final against Munster gave the 23-year-old his chance in front of 82,000 people at [Croke Park](https://www.edgepedia.org/croke-park); he scored seven points as Leinster won 25-6, outplaying the established Ireland fly-half [Ronan O'Gara](https://www.edgepedia.org/ronan-ogara)[2](https://www.lionsrugby.com/en/news/moments-that-made-them-johnny-sexton). In the final against [Leicester Tigers](https://www.edgepedia.org/leicester-tigers) at Murrayfield he kicked a drop goal from the halfway line and later the winning penalty in a 19-16 victory, Leinster's first European title[2](https://www.lionsrugby.com/en/news/moments-that-made-them-johnny-sexton).
He added a second European crown in the 2011 final in Cardiff, scoring two tries in a 28-point haul as Leinster came back from 22-6 down at half-time to beat [Northampton Saints](https://www.edgepedia.org/northampton-saints) 33-22[2](https://www.lionsrugby.com/en/news/moments-that-made-them-johnny-sexton). In total he won four Heineken Champions Cups, one European Challenge Cup, and six Pro14/[United Rugby Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-rugby-championship) titles with the province[2](https://www.lionsrugby.com/en/news/moments-that-made-them-johnny-sexton).
## Ireland
Having missed the 2008 Six Nations with a broken thumb, Sexton was named in the Ireland squad for the 2009 November internationals after establishing himself at Leinster. On his debut against Fiji he scored 16 points with a faultless kicking display in a 41-6 win and took the Player of the Match award[2](https://www.lionsrugby.com/en/news/moments-that-made-them-johnny-sexton).
His Ireland career produced a series of firsts. He was a key figure in Ireland's 40-29 win over New Zealand in Chicago in 2016, the country's first victory over the All Blacks in 111 years, scoring 10 points from the tee and assisting Simon Zebo's try[2](https://www.lionsrugby.com/en/news/moments-that-made-them-johnny-sexton). In 2018 he ran the Grand Slam campaign with 44 points, including a long-range drop goal against France in round one, as Ireland won only their third Grand Slam and first since 2009[2](https://www.lionsrugby.com/en/news/moments-that-made-them-johnny-sexton). That autumn he scored 11 points in Ireland's 16-9 win over New Zealand in Dublin, their first on home soil[2](https://www.lionsrugby.com/en/news/moments-that-made-them-johnny-sexton).
Appointed Ireland captain by head coach [Andy Farrell](https://www.edgepedia.org/andy-farrell) in January 2020, Sexton led the team to a Triple Crown in 2022 and a first-ever Test series victory in New Zealand that summer, kicking 13 points in the 30-24 second-Test win; the series success took Ireland to world number one[2](https://www.lionsrugby.com/en/news/moments-that-made-them-johnny-sexton) • [7](https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/2023/10/21/gerry-thornley-we-will-never-again-see-the-like-of-johnny-sexton/). Under his captaincy Ireland also recorded the third-longest winning run in Test history and held the number one ranking for more than a year[7](https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/2023/10/21/gerry-thornley-we-will-never-again-see-the-like-of-johnny-sexton/). A second Grand Slam followed in 2023, sealed by a 29-16 win over England in Dublin on St Patrick's Day, in what proved to be his final appearance on home soil[1](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/rugby/rugby-union/johnny-sexton-ireland-paris-new-zealand-luca-b2429984.html).
## Records
Sexton is Ireland's all-time leading points scorer with 1,108 points, a tally that includes 18 tries, joint eighth on the national list[7](https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/2023/10/21/gerry-thornley-we-will-never-again-see-the-like-of-johnny-sexton/). He passed Ronan O'Gara's record of 1,090 career points during Ireland's 59-16 World Cup win over Tonga in September 2023, having already become his country's oldest international and leading World Cup scorer with a 24-point haul against Romania a week earlier[8](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/rugby/rugby-union/johnny-sexton-south-africa-ireland-rugby-b2413027.html) • [1](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/rugby/rugby-union/johnny-sexton-ireland-paris-new-zealand-luca-b2429984.html). His 566 points remain the [Six Nations Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/six-nations-championship) record[4](https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby-world-cup-player-profiles/2023/0825/1401683-johnny-sexton/).
## British & Irish Lions
Sexton toured with the Lions twice, in 2013 and 2017, as Lion #791, playing 14 times in the famous red shirt[6](https://www.lionsrugby.com/en/teams/mens-team/johnny-sexton-JS228312?tab=profile). On the 2013 tour of Australia he started all three Tests and scored the decisive try in the third as the Lions won the series 2-1[2](https://www.lionsrugby.com/en/news/moments-that-made-them-johnny-sexton). In 2017 he came off the bench in the 30-15 first-Test defeat by New Zealand, then started the 24-21 win in [Wellington](https://www.edgepedia.org/wellington) and the 15-15 series-deciding draw[2](https://www.lionsrugby.com/en/news/moments-that-made-them-johnny-sexton). He was omitted by [Warren Gatland](https://www.edgepedia.org/warren-gatland) for the 2021 series in South Africa and later said the snub "hurt like hell"[1](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/rugby/rugby-union/johnny-sexton-ireland-paris-new-zealand-luca-b2429984.html).
## Final season and retirement
Sexton announced in March 2022 that he would retire after the 2023 Rugby World Cup[9](https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12506/12560681). His final season was disrupted by injuries and a three-match ban for "confrontational and aggressive" behavior toward referee Jaco Peyper after Leinster's last-gasp Heineken Champions Cup final loss to [La Rochelle](https://www.edgepedia.org/la-rochelle); he was sidelined for 175 days in total[1](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/rugby/rugby-union/johnny-sexton-ireland-paris-new-zealand-luca-b2429984.html). Ireland's campaign ended with a 28-24 quarter-final defeat by New Zealand at the [Stade de France](https://www.edgepedia.org/stade-de-france), his 118th and final Ireland appearance, after which he retired[1](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/rugby/rugby-union/johnny-sexton-ireland-paris-new-zealand-luca-b2429984.html).
## Coaching and life after playing
Sexton returned to the Ireland setup in a part-time coaching capacity from the 2024 Autumn Nations Series and became a permanent member of the IRFU's coaching staff in August 2025, working with the national out-halves[3](https://www.irishrugby.ie/2026/02/17/sexton-anytime-you-go-to-twickenham-is-a-huge-challenge/). He also served as an assistant coach, with responsibility for the kicking game, on Andy Farrell's British & Irish Lions tour of Australia in 2025[6](https://www.lionsrugby.com/en/teams/mens-team/johnny-sexton-JS228312?tab=profile).
Away from coaching, his autobiography *Obsessed: The Autobiography by Johnny Sexton* was Ireland's biggest selling non-fiction book of 2024, and accumulated profits at his management company, JAS Management & Promotions Ltd, passed €3m for the first time in the year to September 2025[10](https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2026/0820/1588689-johnny-sexton-results/).
## References
1. [Glittering career ends with tears for retiring Ireland captain Johnny Sexton, The Independent](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/rugby/rugby-union/johnny-sexton-ireland-paris-new-zealand-luca-b2429984.html)
2. [Moments that made them: Johnny Sexton, British & Irish Lions](https://www.lionsrugby.com/en/news/moments-that-made-them-johnny-sexton)
3. [Sexton: Anytime You Go To London Is A Huge Challenge, Irish Rugby](https://www.irishrugby.ie/2026/02/17/sexton-anytime-you-go-to-twickenham-is-a-huge-challenge/)
4. [Johnny Sexton, RTÉ Sport player profile](https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby-world-cup-player-profiles/2023/0825/1401683-johnny-sexton/)
5. [Sexton thankful for support in retirement statement, RTÉ](https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2023/1026/1413148-johnny-sexton-retirement-statement/)
6. [Johnny Sexton, Lions Men profile, British & Irish Lions](https://www.lionsrugby.com/en/teams/mens-team/johnny-sexton-JS228312?tab=profile)
7. [Gerry Thornley: We will never again see the like of Johnny Sexton, The Irish Times](https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/2023/10/21/gerry-thornley-we-will-never-again-see-the-like-of-johnny-sexton/)
8. [South Africa 'huge challenge' will be the proof of form says record breaker Johnny Sexton, The Independent](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/rugby/rugby-union/johnny-sexton-south-africa-ireland-rugby-b2413027.html)
9. [Johnny Sexton: Ireland captain confirms he will retire following 2023 Rugby World Cup, Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12506/12560681)
10. [Accumulated profits at Johnny Sexton's firm pass €3m, RTÉ News](https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2026/0820/1588689-johnny-sexton-results/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › Rugby union players and personnel › Northern Hemisphere players*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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