Schmidt sweet on Sexton return to fold

Joe Schmidt says Johnny Sexton is positive about returning to these shores next season and that his star fly-half’s move from Racing Metro to Leinster will be really beneficial to Ireland’s cause.

The Six Nations-winning national head coach was speaking to TV3 yesterday at the channel’s new season launch and asked to comment on the &Lions out-half’s prospective move from Paris back to his native Dublin next summer in time for Ireland’s 2015 World Cup campaign, Schmidt said: “I’ve spoke to Johnny and that he’s pretty positive about coming back.”

“He’s a guy who lives week to week and that’s the way a professional rugby player works.”