Sexton: ‘It’ll be raw for the rest of their lives’

The rawness of a World Cup quarter-final in which Ireland failed to produce their best effort will live long with Johnny Sexton but the veteran fly-half insists there will be no blame game when the IRFU produces its review of a faltering 2019 campaign for Joe Schmidt’s team.

Ireland’s miserable exit at the hands of New Zealand in a 46-14 Tokyo hammering 19 days ago brought a shambolic end to Schmidt’s otherwise transformational tenure as head coach and left senior players such as vice-captain Sexton, 34, with a third straight World Cup quarter-final exit.