"I wouldn't bet against him" | Sexton can keep going into his 40s

As the PRO 14 returned and Johnny Sexton delivered an impressive performance for Leinster, Johne Murphy considered how long the out-half's career could keep going. 

After an unprecedented break in action, the PRO 14 finally returned this weekend as Leinster overcame Munster in a closely-contested game on Saturday night.

Joining Off The Ball to assess the action, Johne Murphy, a former player for both provinces, considered Ireland's leading out-half Johnny Sexton to have made an impressive return to rugby.

One of Leinster's outstanding players on the night, Murphy, picking up on Isa Nacewa's mid-week suggestion that Sexton could play elite-level rugby into his 40s, suggested that it is not beyond the realms of possibility.

"Obviously there's those photos on social media going around looking at his gym work," remarked Murphy, "he's in great condition and showed that last night."

22 June 2020; Jonathan Sexton during a Leinster rugby gym session at UCD in Dublin. Photo by Marcus Ó Buachalla for Leinster Rugby via Sportsfile

In the build up to this weekend's game, former Leinster captain Isa Nacewa explained to the Irish Independent that he believed Sexton's career could carry on into the player's 40s.

"I can see Johnny playing until he's 42 if he wanted," claimed Nacewa. "That's the seriousness of how long a break like this will have done.

"I've spoken to players all over the world during this time. A lot have said to me, 'I can get another year out of this'. That's the way they've been thinking."

Little over one month since he celebrated his 35th birthday, although seven more years in the game may seem a stretch, Johne Murphy wouldn't be keen to bet against Sexton doing it.

"It depends on his conditioning," he began, "but his condition last night after the pre-season he put in, I wouldn't back against it.

"Knowing Johnny and having played a lot of club rugby in my early days against him and know what he was like then, I certainly wouldn't back against him now."

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