World Cup the target as Sexton confirms no Leinster swansong

Johnny Sexton has conceded that there will be no fairytale swansong with Leinster and given further details about the next chapter of his life when he retires from the sport at the end of the World Cup

The 37-year-old Ireland captain will miss the end of the domestic season as he recovers from groin surgery, which he underwent in late March following Ireland's Guinness Six Nations win over England.

The out-half, capped six times by the Lions, announced his intention to quit following this autumn's RWC in France in March of last year but declined to detail what exactly the next step would be.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Late Late Show in February, Sexton admitted that he was "dreading" the thoughts of leaving the sport, which has seen him capped 113 times for Ireland, while making 189 appearances for Leinster and 40 for Racing 92.

It was revealed recently that Sexton had been booked in for a speaking engagement just two days before the final of the URC, which top seeds Leinster are firm favourites to reach, on 27 March, an admission that despite the province’s initial medical update leaving the door open for some involvement, the timeline is too tight.

"It’s a bit upsetting to miss out with Leinster," Sexton told the Sunday Times on the weekend that Leo Cullen’s side booked a Heineken Champions Cup semi-final date with Toulouse by beating Leicester, where Sexton was pictured with crutches in the stand.

"People say, 'you’ve still got the World Cup’ and that’s true, please God.

"What I wanted to get across was that in a sense, playing for Leinster meant as much as playing for Ireland, or almost as much."

Johnny Sexton is in the stands at the Aviva and in recovery mode. He underwent surgery on a groin issue just after Ireland's victory over