It's hard to fathom, but Ireland now have to begin life without Johnny Sexton.
The talismanic out-half retired at 38 years old, after the heartbreaking World Cup quarter-final exit at the hands of the All Blacks last weekend. The defeat to New Zealand was not without acrimony for Sexton, though he still got the expected hero's welcome when the Irish squad returned home last week.
Questions now turn to what is next for Sexton, after a 17-year professional career which saw him win four Champions Cups with Leinster, and four Six Nations titles with Ireland, including two Grand Slams in 2018 and 2023.
It appears as though a business career is most likely for Sexton - although reports on Sunday morning suggest that a coaching career could come sooner than expected.
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Report: Ireland coaching role to open up for Johnny Sexton
The Sunday Times' Peter O'Reilly reports this weekend that Ireland assistant coach Mike Catt is set to depart his role.
Catt has been part of the Irish coaching team since Andy Farrell took over as head coach in the aftermath of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, but the report this Sunday suggests that he will soon step aside, with his family recently relocating to the UK.
23 February 2020; Ireland assistant coach Mike Catt, right, and Jonathan Sexton of Ireland ahead of the Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship match between England and Ireland at Twickenham Stadium in London, England. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
There will be something of a rebuild on the cards for Ireland on the pitch in the aftermath of World Cup disappointment, and the supposed departure of Catt would only add to that rebuilding task off the field.
Catt would leave a massive hole in the Irish coaching team - a hole that the Sunday Times suggest could be filled by Johnny Sexton.
The legendary out-half is on record last year as stating that he would not be cut out for a coaching role, saying:
I think with family life it's very difficult to become a coach. You need to do the hard yards.
I'm not sure I'm willing to do that to be a coach.
With his role at Ardagh Group set to become full-time in the aftermath of his retirement, several questions are posed about the possibility of Sexton moving into coaching, though he was undoubtedly a crucial motivational presence in the Irish camp at the World Cup.
He would follow in the footsteps of his predecessor in the Ireland number ten shirt, Ronan O'Gara, who moved straight from retirement into a coaching role with Racing 92, and has since become one of the most respected head coaches in Europe, guiding La Rochelle to two consecutive Champions Cup titles.
It would be a huge surprise to see Johnny Sexton return to rugby so soon after retirement, but the reports on Sunday suggest that it could be closer than initially thought.
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