Now for Ireland’s Grand Slam
Ireland see off Scots to claim the Championship and set-up a Grand Slam date with England
IRELAND reign supreme – but Johnny Sexton has declared they want more. Joe Schmidt’s magnificent men sealed the country’s 14th championship last night when England lost in Paris, leaving Ireland nine points clear at the top of the table going into the final round thanks to their 20-point demolition of Scotland.
It is their third title in five years under Schmidt, and now just the third Grand Slam in the country’s history awaits – but with the imposing form of a wounded England in Twickenham standing in the way on St Patrick’s Day.
However, Sexton said this generation of stars are desperate to emulate the achievements of 2009, when Brian O’Driscoll, Ronan O’Gara and Paul O’Connell inspired Ireland’s last Slam. ‘You’d be lying if you said otherwise,’ said
Sexton last night. ‘Declan Kidney said I was just as much a part of it as anyone else (Sexton didn’t make his debut until November 2009) when I was in the bibs (as part of training squads). I didn’t feel that way.
‘I remember some of the talks that were given around that time, the O’Connells, the O’Driscolls, O’Garas, that were trying to achieve this for 10 years.
‘You could tell by their speeches and by their actions that season how much it meant to them and they had to drag along guys like Luke Fitzgerald, Tommy Bowe, Rob Kearney, these young guys coming through.
‘It’s very similar to that now,’ added the out-half.
‘I know Rory (Best) is desperate for a Grand Slam because he thinks he’ll be a bigger part of it than he played back then. For us it’s about trying to drag those young guys along.
‘They probably think they are going to get lots of opportunities but as I know it doesn’t work out like that. I remember playing Scotland in Croke Park for a Triple Crown (in 2010) and almost taking it for granted because I thought “A Triple Crown, I’ll have plenty of more opportunities for this” – and I still haven’t won a Triple Crown.’
‘We’re going to have to save the best for last. That’s what it’s going to take to win everything next week,’ said Best (left), while Sexton added: ‘The shoe is on the other foot now after last year and I’m sure they’ll be licking their lips.’