IRELAND AND LEINSTER out-half Johnny Sexton has been named World Rugby’s Player of the Year at a ceremony in Monte Carlo this evening.
The 33-year-old was voted the winner ahead of previous two-time winner Beauden Barrett, his fellow All Black Rieko Ioane and South African pair Faf de Klerk and Malcolm Marx.
Sexton’s win sees him follow in the footsteps of Keith Wood, who claimed Ireland’s only other win of the award in its inaugural year in 2001.
Since then, the southern hemisphere has dominated the prize and New Zealand have accounted for each of the last six winners.
Sexton is the sixth northern hemisphere winner of the gong after Wood, Fabien Galthie, Jonny Wilkinson, Shane Williams and Thierry Dusautoir.
It was a night for the ages in Monte Carlo with Ireland named World Rugby Team of the Year too and Joe Schmidt scooping the Coach of the Year award.
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