Johnny Sexton speaks honestly on Joe Schmidt’s future with Ireland

Rewarded for a remarkable present while trying not to worry about a big decision that will shape the future of Irish rugby.

Sexton claimed the Guinness Rugby Writers Ireland Player of the Year for the second time in his career, at a ceremony in the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday. Speaking about the win, Sexton said: "It’s a very prestigious award to win in Ireland. You look at the list of players that have won it before, it’s very very pleasing that your efforts can be acknowledged. "It could have gone to many, many players with the season we had in this country, I can think of six or seven lads just off the top of my head, so I’m very happy to have been chosen.

"And it’s a second time, which is nice."

In the 2017/18 season, Sexton has won the Grand Slam and Triple Crown with Ireland, as well as a series win in Australia, while his provincial exploits have seen him triumph in the Champions Cup and Guinness PRO14.

"It’s been a pretty special year when you consider everything that’s happened with the Grand Slam," Sexton said. "If you got offered a Grand Slam at the start of the year and nothing else you’d have snapped someone’s hand off for it, it’s such a big thing and it’s been in Ireland so few times.

"But then when that happens, you reset your goals back in Leinster and you want to go back and achieve there and that rolled into the double. And then going to Australia and doing the job.

"It’s been incredible, I’ve had to pinch myself a little bit. But at the same time there’s been a hell of a lot hard work that goes into it, so it doesn’t happen by accident, from a collective point of view and it’s been a brilliant year, so far.

"Now winning two games in November, and there’s a little bit left."

By the end of the month, Joe Schmidt will make his coaching intentions clear and most fans are unclear on whether he may return to New Zealand or commit himself to staying on with Ireland. As for the players' role in such matters, Sexton remarked, "It’s not up to us to persuade him!

"We just go with the plan that he gives us and we leave him to do that. Whatever he decides to do, if he decides to go, he’s left an unbelievable mark on Irish rugby. If he decides to stay, he’ll continue to do so.

"He’s got a lot of good young players coming through that he’ll be able to build a new team with and so, look, we’ll see. He hasn’t given us any indication. He’s a pretty focused guy on what’s important and what’s important was obviously New Zealand. This week he’ll be focusing on America and then he’ll announce it and it will be a big story whatever happens.

"But we don’t have a clue what’s going to happen."

All Sexton, and Ireland, can do for now is to keep winning and leave Schmidt to make his own, tough call on matters.