Sexton hoping to lead Ireland in Six Nations campaign
By Daire Walsh
ST MARY’S College RFC star Jonathan Sexton is expected to pick up his 102nd senior international cap when Ireland begin their Six Nations Championship campaign against Wales at the Aviva Stadium this Saturday (kick-off 2.15pm).
Provided he comes through the next couple of days unscathed, the veteran fly-half is expected to lead out the team as a captain. Sexton became an international centurion when Ireland defeated Japan in the Aviva last November.
An All-Ireland Cup finalist with St Mary’s in 2006, he remains a pivotal figure in this Irish side at the ripe old age of 36. He is one of three players in the squad who are registered with St Mary’s College – the others being his Leinster team-mates Jordan Larmour and Caelan Doris.
A former student of St Andrew’s College in Booterstown, Larmour featured for the Templeogue-based club in the All-Ireland League – primarily during the 2016/17 domestic season – before subsequently establishing himself at provincial and international level.
He has accumulated 30 senior caps to date and was part of the Grand Slam-winning squad in 2008. Intense competition for places has seen him squeezed out of the starting line-up in recent times, but injuries to James Lowe and Jacob Stockdale will have bolstered his chances of selection.
Doris was a border at Blackrock College and joined St Mary’s upon leaving the south Dublin school. He played alongside Larmour on a number of occasions in the AIL and is expected to be named at blindside flanker.