Jonny Sexton's contract with Racing Metro makes him highest paid player in Europe

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Would this also make Sexton now the best paid player in the world? I can't think of anyone that would be getting more in Japan or Super Rugby.

The top 5 earners in France are now:

Jonathan Sexton (Racing Métro) €55,000 per month
Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon) €47,000
Bryan Habana (Toulon) €42,000
Nicolas Mas (Montpellier) €38,000
James Hook (Perpignan) €35,000

From an Irish perspective, even central contracts might not keep our best here if these sums of money stay about or increase.

He's 6'2'' and 92kg, hardly "slight"...

Rods, think you're right i recall him stopping Cudmore or Hines in the SF last year, holding them up and winning a turnover...

Only 2 fly halves in the world make that tackle Mick, Sexton and ..........Paddy Jackson ......

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:"Sexton is the best tackling 10 there is"

Maybe at Leinster but there's much better defensive 10's than Sexton

For example?

My top 3 tackling 10s would be Wilko, Farrell & Carter

I wouldn't necessarily call them "much better" than Sexton, but "better" for sure.

Farrell is probably on a par with Sexton tackling wise. Carter is the best 10 in the world so maybe he is the best tackler. Wilko isnt great anymore. Maybe once upon a time he was the best, I recall a massive hit on Olivier Magne I think it was. However, he is not a physical as Sexton now.

Ian Madigan sent a rampaging Rory Best back a few meters a few weeks back. My only highlight of the game

hjumpshoe wrote:As far as tackling 10's go i'd have Sexton in the OK bracket along with Biggar Priestland, Flood, Cooper etc. Very good would be Carter, Wilko, Farrell,Beale etc. Shoite would be ROG, Castaignède (and others im sure!)

Hard to take anyone seriously who thinks Sexton's D is on par with Coopers. Is this meant to be sarcasm?

Sgt_Pooly wrote:It's not that he's poor, he's just not as good as you seem to think he is (imo)

One on one I've seen him targeted numerous times. He's quite a slight build so this isn't really a surprise. He punches above his weight if anything and is solid but not in a top class bracket imo

This guy cant have ever seen Sexton play if he thinks he is slightly built. One on one he rarely gets targeted as it usually results in a scrum to Ireland because of his strength at choke tackling.

GunsGerms wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:It's not that he's poor, he's just not as good as you seem to think he is (imo)

One on one I've seen him targeted numerous times. He's quite a slight build so this isn't really a surprise. He punches above his weight if anything and is solid but not in a top class bracket imo

This guy cant have ever seen Sexton play if he thinks he is slightly built. One on one he rarely gets targeted as it usually results in a scrum to Ireland because of his strength at choke tackling.

Exactly guns

Sexton is slightly built and gets targeted? .......ok
That's and interesting point pooly. However it does contradict actual reality.

I think possibly because Sexton doesnt usually put in huge seismic hits like Wilko used to or Lambie does now he might not be seen as a ferocious takler. However, his defense is outstanding in that he rarely lets anything past him, very very rarely and he wins a lot of turnovers through holding players up and forming a mall. His D is ridiculously good.

Loving the "you can't have seen him play" if anybody has a differing opinion, it's pretty arrogant. I don't suggest that you haven't seen him because you suggest he's better than Wilkinson.

I really don't see what you in Sexton's defensive abilities, perhaps you overrate them, perhaps some of us underrate them.

Lets just agree to disagree.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Loving the "you can't have seen him play" if anybody has a differing opinion, it's pretty arrogant. I don't suggest that you haven't seen him because you suggest he's better than Wilkinson.

I really don't see what you in Sexton's defensive abilities, perhaps you overrate them, perhaps some of us underrate them.

Lets just agree to disagree.

In fairness you did say "He's quite a slight build". Thats not opinion its factually incorrect so it does defy belief that you have seen him play so cant agree to disagree on that one. No arrogance there.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Loving the "you can't have seen him play" if anybody has a differing opinion, it's pretty arrogant. I don't suggest that you haven't seen him because you suggest he's better than Wilkinson.

I really don't see what you in Sexton's defensive abilities, perhaps you overrate them, perhaps some of us underrate them.

Lets just agree to disagree.

I think there is a difference in suggesting that their might be better defensive 10's than Sexton and saying that Sexton is of 'slim build' and is targeted for being weak in defense, which is pretty laughable. As it is, I think all of your comments on here with regard to Irish players are negative, take from that what you will.

He doesn't look particularly big for a FH, maybe it's his hunch back running style.

I just don't rate highly defensively, or that highly anyway tbh. Top club player though.

Not too many OHs out there that are bigger.

Dodger....

Only Irish player that I really don't rate is Heaslip and I don't think Sexton is as good as the general Irish opinion.

Can't recall ever knocking another Irish player on here so I'll take your comment with a pinch of salt.

GunsGerms wrote:Not too many OHs out there that are bigger.

Farrell is reported as being 96kg but imo looks much bigger than Sexton.

Stephen Jones 95kg
Butch James 100kg
FTD 92kg (shorter than Sexton)
Stephen Donald 98kg

I'm not going to put Andy Goodes

I'd agree with you on Heaslip I think he's over rated.

Firstly, Sexton is not only a very solid tackling 10 who isn't often physically dominated, but also is very effective at the choke tackle. Farrell and Wilkinson may put bigger hits in but I doubt they create as many turnovers as Jonny.

Sexton is fairly well-built, he isn't that filled out but he has a strong-looking se3t of shoulders. Regardless, muscle mass is not directly related to strength, and Jonny is strong, both in mind and body...

Heaslip was very good for both Ireland and Leinster from 2008-2010, then in 2011 his Ireland form dropped off, and in 2012 his Leinster form followed.

Looks like we're back on track, no need to fall out

Agree on Heaslip, he was immense in 2008-10 but looks nothing like that player.

The best paid players (annual salaries) to date are:

S Chabal, £1m, Racing Metro (2011-12)

M Giteau, £900,000, Western Force (2009-10)

J Hook, £750,000, Perpignan (2011-12)

D Carter, £700,000, Perpignan (2008-09)

J Wilkinson, £700,000, Toulon (2009-10)


The best offer to date was the £1.2m salary Racing Metro put to Carter in 2011.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:It's not that he's poor, he's just not as good as you seem to think he is (imo)

One on one I've seen him targeted numerous times. He's quite a slight build so this isn't really a surprise. He punches above his weight if anything and is solid but not in a top class bracket imo

Weird how opinions can be so different,I don't think there's a better tackling 10 in the world,he rarely misses tackles and regularly holds up forwards to initiate a choke tackle.I can't think of any time his channel has been targeted in all my time watching Leinster and Ireland.

timhen wrote:The best paid players (annual salaries) to date are:

S Chabal, £1m, Racing Metro (2011-12)

M Giteau, £900,000, Western Force (2009-10)

J Hook, £750,000, Perpignan (2011-12)

D Carter, £700,000, Perpignan (2008-09)

J Wilkinson, £700,000, Toulon (2009-10)


The best offer to date was the £1.2m salary Racing Metro put to Carter in 2011.

I don't know where you are getting those figures from but they are way off. Chabal's contract with Racing was worth £830'000 not £1m.
http://www.espnscrum.com/france-top-14-2011-12/rugby/story/158672.html

Wilkinson was paid £620'000 at Toulon in 2009 not £700'000
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/apr/16/jonny-wilkinson-newcastle-toulon-bates

When Hook signed for Perpignan he was getting a little over 1 million Euro over three years, nothing remotely close to £700'000 a year.

Wilko isnt great anymore. Maybe once upon a time he was the best, I recall a massive hit on Olivier Magne I think it was. However, he is not a physical as Sexton now.

G&G Wilko's all round game isn't what it was but watch him in the HEC and he's still a beast in the tackle. The hits he puts in are what you'd expect from a top quality 6. He doesn't go in for the choke tackle so much as that's generally an Irish fad. There's not another 10 that tackles like Johnny and I include Owen 'no arms' Farrell in that as well. Sexton is certainly solid despite his willow like build (he looks smaller than he is due to his height).

GunsGerms wrote:

hjumpshoe wrote:As far as tackling 10's go i'd have Sexton in the OK bracket along with Biggar Priestland, Flood, Cooper etc. Very good would be Carter, Wilko, Farrell,Beale etc. Shoite would be ROG, Castaignède (and others im sure!)

Hard to take anyone seriously who thinks Sexton's D is on par with Coopers. Is this meant to be sarcasm?

This is what happens when i allow my brother to use my v2 account im afraid. Most of what he wrote id agree with, but for me Cooper's more in the shoite bracket with Sexton in the very good. OK he may not smash many 8's backwards but he's as solid and dependable as they come. Lions starting 10 this summer for sure!