Johnny Sexton named Leinster captain
Johnny Sexton has scored 1344 points from 147 games for Leinster
©PA
Leinster have confirmed Ireland play-maker Johnny Sexton as the new captain for the upcoming season.
Sexton made his professional rugby debut with Leinster in 2006 and switched to Racing 92 in 2013 before rejoining the Dublin based outfit for his second stint in 2015. Until now he has made 147 appearances for the club and has amassed 1344 points making him all-time leading point-scorer for the club.
He will take over the reins from Isa Nacewa, who announced retirement from professional rugby at the end of the previous season.
Sexton's Ireland team-mate Rhys Ruddock, who has been part of the club since 2009 has been named the vice-captain. The 27-year-old has already made 142 appearances for Leinster and has made 19 Test appearances for Ireland.
Ireland head coach Leo Cullen is delighted with the appointment of Sexton and Ruddock and is looking forward for a successful season ahead.
“Johnny is a player and person who is always striving to improve and get better and he has driven incredibly high standards during his time at Leinster, where he has become one of the most decorated players in the game.
“He has already carried out the role of captain of the team on a number of occasions and we are very fortunate to be able to announce Johnny as club captain for the 2018/19 season as he is a player that greatly deserves this honour.
“He is hugely excited by the challenge of leading his teammates over the course of the season as we look to maximise the team’s potential.
“Likewise Rhys, we have seen him grow into an outstanding leader at Leinster and indeed he has captained Ireland on tour to Japan and again last season against Fiji and I think that this appointment today is further evidence of that growth.
“You couldn’t get two players that better represent the values and behaviours that we want to be judged on than Johnny and Rhys and I look forward to working even closer with them over the coming months.”
Leinster will open the 2018/19 season of Pro14 with a clash against Cardiff Blues at Cardiff Arms Park on 1st September.
