Sexton commits to Ireland till 2023 World Cup

Ireland captain Johnny Sexton said he hopes to go out on "a high, not a whimper" after he signed a contract extension through to the 2023 Rugby World Cup on Tuesday.

Sexton will be 38 by the time rugby's quadrennial showpiece tournament kicks off in France and there had been speculation over whether he would carry on till then.

"I wanted to keep the dream going," Sexton said at a press conference on Tuesday.

"I do not want to go out on a whimper and hopefully I finish on a high at the World Cup.

"I am delighted to be able to say it has come to fruition (the contract) as I have been beating round the bush for six months.

"I was always nervous talking about the Rugby World Cup.

"I want to make the most of my last 18 months of my career and to do that is to work hard and get my body in the best shape possible."

Sexton is rightly regarded as a talisman both by his country and province Leinster and was crowned world player of the year in 2018.

He made his international debut against Fiji in November 2009 and has represented Ireland at three Rugby World Cups, in 2011, 2015 and 2019.

The latter tournament has proved a bugbear for both Ireland and Sexton - they have yet to reach the semi-finals.

Indeed after being hammered by New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup Sexton remarked the manner of the defeat will be "raw for four years."

"One of the biggest factors for me was talking to fellows who had retired after a World Cup and the disappointment they felt at not performing," he said on Tuesday, of his decision to carry on till 2023.

"Agewise a lot of players performed at the top of their game well into their thirties - take Richie McCaw and Brad Thorn, they won the World Cup trophy aged 34 and 36."

Sexton is a two-time British and Irish Lions