“There is talk now of the battle between Johnny Sexton and Brian O’Driscoll for who is Ireland’s greatest modern-day player”

“What Ian achieved was truly ground-breaking. He paved the way.”

Johnny Sexton had his fair share of rivals for the Leinster No.10 jersey, over the past 16 seasons and he saw most of them off through his incredible skill, leadership and work levels.

Back in 2011, Ian McKinley was starting to make good on the early promise he had shown in the Leinster and Ireland underage set-ups. The young outhalf made six appearances for Leinster, that season, and scored a try in one win over Benetton Treviso. It was a remarkable achievement for a young man that had nearly lost all sight in one eye playing club rugby for UCD.

“A teammate stood on my face, and burst by left eye-ball… complications developed and I ended up losing sight in my left eye due to a detached retina.”

McKinley had come back from that horrific, and accidental, club game injury to provide a bit of competition for the likes of Johnny Sexton and Ian Madigan, but that detached retina looked to have ended his career. Such was McKinley’s determination to not let that be the end of his story that he became a pioneer for the use of protective goggles to be used in sport. He would go on to play over 100 games of professional rugby in Italy, and nine Test appearances for the Azzurri.

On the latest House of Rugby [LISTEN from 12:30 below], Greg O’Shea, Lindsay Peat discussed an incredible sporting tale with Ian McKinley, as well his book, Second Sight, his early rivalry and continuing relationship with Johnny Sexton, inspiring generations of young athletes and his mum keeping Brian O’Driscoll’s grapes.

‘It was one of the saddest visits I’ve ever made’ – Johnny Sexton

The foreword for Second Sight, which Ian McKinley and Gerry Thornley worked on together, was penned by Johnny Sexton.

The Leinster and Ireland captain paid tribute to a player four years his junior that he – making a mark at Leinster himself, at that stage – recognised as ‘a bit special’. Sexton recalls himself and his teammates visiting McKinley at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, after his initial injury. He writes:

‘It was one of the saddest visits I’ve ever made to a player in my career – to see someone who didn’t know if he would keep his sight in one eye, and especially for a player [he was 19 at the time] so young.’

Reflecting on how McKinley was able to make his rugby comeback, three years after he looked to be retiring, and then line out for Italy in Test rugby, despite having only partial vision in that damaged eye, Sexton stated, ‘It’s bloody hard enough to play international rugby with two eyes, never mind with one.’

Johnny Sexton one of Ireland’s greatest ever – Ian McKinley

While Johnny Sexton has nothing but praise for the inspirational McKinley, the now retired outhalf remains in awe of the 37-year-old’s achievements in a trophy-laden career.

“Those [foreword] comments from Johnny mean a huge amount,” says McKinley. “You can’t get a more important figure to Irish rugby over the past 20 years.

“There is talk now of the battle between him and Brian O’Driscoll for who is the greatest modern-day player. I’ve been fortunate enough to train and play with Johnny, play against him. To have him to help with the book was amazing.”

For the longest time, the pinnacle of modern day Irish rugby was Brian O’Driscoll, with the likes of Paul O’Connell and Ronan O’Gara not far behind.

The trophy-winning and Lions exploits of the likes of Rob Kearney and Jamie Heaslip put them in such conversations, but many would still put O’Driscoll way atop the bunch.

That is perfectly understandable, but Sexton winning World Rugby Player of the Year in 2018 put him up there with O’Driscoll. The fact that he is still going, four years after that accolade, may mean a serious, serious debate needs to take place whenever Sexton does hang up his boots.

Related articles:

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• “He saw the potential” – Gavin Coombes on inheriting No.8 mantle from Anthony Foley
• “Ronan O’Gara came in and said, ‘On the 28th of May, we are winning the Champions Cup'”

WATCH HOUSE OF RUGBY HERE:

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