Jonny isn’t the only Sexton leaving Leinster this summer, and his namesake Tom could make his debut for his new team against the Lions in Australia this summer.
By Declan Whooley
The hooker has found his opportunities limited with the Heineken Cup champions and has struggled to compete with Richardt Strauss, Sean Cronin and Aaron Dundon for the number two jersey.
Born in Oz to an Irish father and Australian mother, Sexton was four when he moved to Ireland, and after success with Belvedere, signed forms with Leinster in 2008. However having struggled to make an impact on the first-team, has decided to move back to Australia, with a two-year deal with Melbourne awaiting him.
“There’s absolutely no bitterness – just time to move on as I’m ambitious. I could have stuck around but I want to take a chance and make something of myself,” he told rugby journalist Brendan Fanning.
While he was due to line-up with his new team-mates in August, they have looked to fast-track the move, and could make his debut against the British and Irish Lions on June 25th.
“They’re keen to put out an Aussie qualified team against the Lions and neither of the hookers are in that category so they may need me earlier,” he says. “I’ll know in a couple of weeks.”
Hopefully we won’t see both Sexton’s lining up against each other, as the game takes place in between the first and second Test If Jonny was to play against his current Leinster team-mate – assuming he travels of course – it would be unlikely that he would be figuring in that second Test against in Melbourne.
We’ll have to wait and see.
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