Johnny Sexton: Ireland captain focused on taking emotion out of Six Nations swansong

Johnny Sexton aims to pb Ireland to their 4th Grand Slam successful what volition beryllium his Six Nations farewell

Ireland skipper Johnny Sexton says helium volition person to enactment hard to region the emotion from his Six Nations swansong arsenic his broadside targets the Grand Slam against a wounded England team.

The 37-year-old besides needs conscionable 1 constituent to surpass Ronan O'Gara arsenic the Six Nations' grounds scorer.

Despite each the subplots, however, Sexton remains focused connected performance.

Asked connected Wednesday if it volition beryllium challenging to support a lid connected his emotions, helium said: "Of course, but erstwhile I commencement getting dragged into that, you commencement getting distant from however you're going to marque that happen. Process, show and making definite that you're nailed on.

"I'm trying to get distant from it arsenic overmuch arsenic I can. I knew the questions were going to travel but look, I person got a spot much affectional the further I've gone connected decidedly truthful it'll beryllium astir trying to clasp that backmost but usage it arsenic good due to the fact that hopefully it'll beryllium a peculiar day."

Leinster fly-half Sexton volition gain his 113th headdress connected Saturday having won 3 Six Nations titles since making his planetary debut successful 2009.

And portion the seasoned half-back volition gully the curtain connected a 13-year Six Nations travel that began against England astatine Twickenham successful 2010, helium was keen to constituent retired that this play does not correspond the extremity of his Ireland vocation with the World Cup to travel aboriginal this year.

"You'd ne'er beryllium capable to unrecorded with yourself if you didn't crook up and play well," helium added.

"That's the focus. You instrumentality the emotion retired of it. It's going to beryllium affectional anyway. You're playing England astatine location with thing connected the line. It's what you've ever wanted to bash and wherever you've wanted to be.

"It's not the past crippled with this team, I surely anticipation not. We've got a batch much of the travel near truthful I'm not truly reasoning similar that. I'm conscionable reasoning astir getting retired determination and putting successful the champion show I tin and trying to get everyone other connected the aforesaid page."

Luck and bouncing backmost from adversity cardinal to longevity

Rory Best (right) was skipper erstwhile Ireland past won the Grand Slam successful 2018

As helium approaches his past Six Nations game, Sexton - who said England are a "dangerous opponent" fixed their humiliating decision by France past play - besides identified the 2 cardinal areas down his longevity astatine the apical extremity of rugby.

"Luck," helium said plainly. "Being capable to debar those large injuries that you spot cruelly hap to immoderate players recently, [former Ireland and Leinster flanker] Dan Leavy for example. Top of his game. Number 7 jersey and past it finished successful 1 moment.

"Also being capable to bounce backmost from adversity. I've had plentifulness of atrocious days, plentifulness of criticisms ands scrutiny. Being capable to bounce backmost from those atrocious moments."

Ireland are going for their 4th Grand Slam connected Saturday and having won the erstwhile 3 successful Belfast (1948), Cardiff (2009) and London (2018), Sexton was asked what it would mean to beryllium the archetypal Ireland skipper to implicit a cleanable expanse successful beforehand of a Dublin crowd.

"That's the spot we talked astir from the start, that it's ne'er been done astatine home," helium said.

"It's thing we identified precise aboriginal and said 'imagine this happening, ideate having a changeable astatine it astatine location successful beforehand of your family, friends.'

"Now it's the large juncture and it's astir dealing with that, embracing it and getting a bully show retired there."

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