World Rugby will be announcing its male and female players of 2018 in Monaco on Sunday. When the shortlists were first published there was still a faint element of doubt about the men’s winner. Not any more. If Johnny Sexton, the sole European contender, is somehow edged out there will be uproar in both hemispheres.
No disrespect to Beauden Barrett and Rieko Ioane of New Zealand, or the Springboks duo Faf de Klerk and Malcom Marx, but Sexton has pulled so far ahead of the field he is now practically in a league of his own. Much as Ireland’s win over New Zealand last Saturday was a supreme team effort, the fly-half has long been Joe Schmidt’s on-field lieutenant and continues to be absolutely central to his country’s ongoing rise.
Written by Robert Kitson
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2018/nov/21/johnny-sexton-ireland-fly-half-world-player-of-year-contender under the title “Joy of Johnny Sexton is on the point of being globally appreciated | Robert Kitson”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
