Curtain all but drawn on Johnny Sexton's Leinster career

Sexton's looming retirement means that his time in blue is all but over but there is still a World Cup tilt to make before he slips officially into the ranks of the ex-player

CURTAIN CALL: Jonathan Sexton looks to have played his last game for Leinster. Pic: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Leinster aren’t officially wiping Johnny Sexton’s name from the roster just yet but Monday’s confirmation that their veteran out-half is “likely” to miss the rest of the season all but draws the curtain on a club career that began with eight minutes off the bench against Border Reivers in January of 2006.

The first point in all this is the blow it will be for a player who has spoken repeatedly about the bid to add a fifth star to the club’s shirt. His looming retirement means that his time in blue is all but over but there is still a World Cup tilt to make before he slips officially into the ranks of the ex-player.