Rugby: Johnny Sexton hopes to lift Ireland over Russia following loss

Johnny Sexton, the 2018 World Rugby Player of the Year, will captain Ireland for the first time in their Pool A clash against Russia on Thursday night in Kobe.Sexton missed Ireland's previous match to treat an injury, but aims to return to the pitch at Kobe Misaki Stadium (Noevir Stadium) with the leadership that will enable his team to bounce back from their shocking loss to Japan in Shizuoka."It's a massive honor," said Sexton, who will captain Ireland for the first time in his 86th test appearance. "It's something that I've thought about since I was a kid, something I've made a lot of de…READ FULL ARTICLE