Johnny Sexton: 'It will live with us for a long time, how the World Cup finished for us'

Johnny Sexton believes Ireland’s miserable World Cup quarter-final exit will live with the players for a long time but the Leinster captain is hoping a new Heineken Champions Cup campaign will help the healing process.

Ireland crashed out of the World Cup in Japan with a 46-14 hammering by New Zealand in Tokyo on October 19, the third defeat at the last-eight stage Sexton, 34, has suffered in an otherwise glittering playing career.