Johnny Sexton focused on business world after retirement

Ireland’s outhalf Johnny Sexton has confirmed he will be retiring from rugby this year and stepping away from the game after retirement, with a focus on a new career in the business world.

The 37-year-old will bring an end to a glittering career after the Rugby World Cup in France in September.

On the prospect of being a rugby coach after his playing career, he said: “I would never say never, you never know what life is going to throw at you.

“It wouldn’t be my plan straight away, if an offer came in, it wouldn’t be right for me to coach with guys I played with the last number of years. I certainly wouldn’t want to jeopardise this year, because if they find out you’re coaching them, the relationship changes straight away. I won’t be doing it for the foreseeable future.”

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He added: “Rugby is my passion, it’s all I’ve known. I’ve been doing it for 20 years, longer maybe, when I was a kid. But I think it’s important to step away from it to try another walk of life. And then we’ll see what happens.

“I’ll go and see if I can do something in the business world, I’ve been doing a bit of work experience there over the last few years, one day a week, so I’ll go into that and see how it goes.

“It might not be for me. I might get the itch straight away and come out of retirement, play for St Marys!”

Last year, accumulated profits at the management company owned by Ireland’s rugby captain, Johnny Sexton increased by almost €350,000 to €2.793 million.