Aaron Sexton
| Born | 24 August 2000 Bangor, Northern Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 94 kg (14.8 st; 207 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Bangor Grammar School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Aaron Sexton (born 24 August 2000) is an Irish former rugby union player who played wing or fullback for Ulster in the United Rugby Championship. As of December 2024, he was participating in the NFL International Player Pathway Program, to attempt to play American Football professionally in the NFL.
Athletics Career
[edit | edit source]Sexton is also a track sprinter, winning the 2018 and 2019 All-Ireland Schools Championships in both the 100m and 200m, representing Bangor Grammar School. In 2019 Sexton also broke the all-Ireland schools record in both events with times of 10.43 for the 100m and 20.69 for the 200m.[2][3]
Sexton represented and Ireland came 15th at the 2018 World u20 Athletics Championships in the 200m sprint, and was a part of the Irish 4 × 100 m relay team who finished 11th. the following year Sexton finished 4th at the u20 European Championships in the 200m sprint.
Rugby Union
[edit | edit source]He played for Ulster "A" in the 2018–19 Celtic Cup, scoring seven tries in six games,[4] and was named Ulster "A" player of the Year in the 2019 Ulster Rugby Awards.[5] He joined the Ulster academy ahead of the 2019–20 season, committing himself full-time to rugby.[4] He made his senior debut as a replacement against Edinburgh in November 2020.[6][7] In January 2021 he signed a development contract, to be upgraded to a senior contract after one season.[8] He was selected for the Ireland national rugby sevens team for the World Rugby Sevens Repechage in Monaco in July 2021,[9] helping the team qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.[10] He made two senior appearances for Ulster in the 2021–22 season,[1] scoring a try against Cardiff in March 2022.[11]
Sexton left the Province in December 2024 after making 10 appearances, to take part in the NFL International Player Pathway Program for 2025, intending to play as a wide receiver or kick returner.[12] By August 2025, he had returned to Ireland and was playing club rugby for Ballynahinch.[13]
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ a b Playing statistics at itsrugby.co.uk
- ^ “Ulster rugby star breaks 100m and 200m records”, Balls.ie, 19 May 2019.
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ a b "Abbey Insurance Ulster Academy 2019/20 Squad Announced", Ulster Rugby, 20 June 2019
- ^ Darren Fullerton, "2019 Ulster Rugby Awards: Retiring captain Rory Best is named Heineken Personality of the Year", Belfast Live, 9 May 2019
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Ulster 2020-21 - Who Did What?, The Front Row Union, 12 August 2021
- ^ "Ulster announce four contract extensions as Dan McFarland organises squad for future campaign", Belfast Telegraph, 25 January 2021
- ^ "Sexton named in Ireland Squad For World Rugby Sevens Repechage", Ulster Rugby, 11 June 2021
- ^ "Olympic Repechage: Ireland, France and Russia sevens qualify in Monaco", World Rugby, 20 June 2021
- ^ "Seven try Ulster swat aside Cardiff to go top of URC table", The Irish Times, 4 March 2022
- ^ Adam McKendry, "Ulster ace quits province and turns back on rugby in bid to fulfil his NFL dream", Belfast Telegraph, 9 December 2024
- ^ Michael Sadlier, "Former Ulster ace back for Ballynahinch Cup clash after bid to make it big in NFL", Belfast Telegraph, 30 August 2025
External links
[edit | edit source]- Ulster Rugby profile
- United Rugby Championship profile
- Aaron Sexton at European Professional Club RugbyLua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
- Aaron Sexton at FinalWhistle.ie
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- 2000 births
- Living people
- Irish rugby union players
- Ulster Rugby players
- Rugby union wings
- Rugby union fullbacks
- Ireland international rugby sevens players
- Men sprinters from Northern Ireland
- British men sprinters
- Irish men sprinters
- Athletes from County Down
- Sportspeople from Bangor, County Down
- 21st-century British sportsmen