General Johnny’s homecoming massive boost for Schmidt’s World Cup campaign

Could Joe Schmidt have asked for a better start to the new rugby season than the firm indications his on-field general, Johnny Sexton, will be back on home ground in time for the 2015 World Cup?

Sexton, 29, appears set to quit French Top 14 club Racing Metro at the end of 2014-15, when his two-year contract is up, in order to swap Paris for Dublin and return to his beloved Leinster on a four-year IRFU contract. And that means the Lions fly-half will be completely at the disposal of Ireland head coach Schmidt as he begins his final preparations for the World Cup campaign, which for the reigning RBS 6 Nations champions begins on September 19, 2015 with a pool game Canada at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

No more worrying the weekend before an international whether Sexton will report for duty at Carton House crocked from a Top 14 slog just 24 hours previously, as was Schmidt’s experience during his debut Six Nations campaign last February.