Sexton ‘mad keen’ to pull on green shirt

Fit-again Johnny Sexton was crowned Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Player of the Year last night and declared himself delighted to be playing as much rugby as he can with new French club Racing Metro.

Sexton, 28, has overcome a hip flexor problem that sidelined him for Ireland’s opening autumn international last weekend against Samoa and will be available to renew rivalries with Australia this Saturday.

It was against the Wallabies during the summer that Sexton capped off a momentous final season with Leinster that saw him win the RaboDirect Pro12-Amlin Challenge Cup double by guiding the British & Irish Lions to a first Test series win in 16 years.