CROWN FUELS

Sexton admits he’s Triple determined to land his first silverware as skipper

‘LET’S get physical’ is Johnny Sexton’s battle cry as he eyes up his first silverware as Ireland captain.

Despite the success of the last decade, Ireland won only one Triple Crown on their way to the Grand Slam in 2018.

Now, in his first championship as captain, Sexton can lead the men in green to a 12th Crown after earlier wins over Scotland and Wales.

“It’s huge,” the 34-year-old admitted. “I remember sitting in a team talk in 2010, Declan Kidney in charge and him saying Triple Crowns don’t come easy.

“I was in a room with guys who had won multiple Triple Crowns over the previous years. I thought it was just going to happen. We were playing Scotland in Croke Park, we lost and I didn’t win one until a couple of years ago.

“They’re difficult things to win. Obviously when we had a period of winning them a lot you take them for granted. It’s been at the forefront of our thoughts.

You’ve got the chance to lift the trophy for Ireland.

“I know it’s not the biggest trophy you can win in terms of the Six Nations but it is big for us.”

Victory at Twickenham would keep Andy Farrell’s Ireland on course for both of the bigger prizes, the championship title and the Grand

Slam. The flip side is that England, losing World Cup finalists just three months ago, are in last chance saloon. Defeat for the second time in three games – they went down in Paris in their opener – and their own championship ambitions are finished.

“We’re going to have to be on top of our game,” warned Sexton. “They’ve beaten us across the board in every area over the last two times we’ve played. We could talk all day about it but it’s down to this Sunday and how we overturn some of them.” Starting with the physical contest – if England get on top there, Sexton and Co can forget about it. “Yeah, that’s what’s happened the last two times,” the Leinster star said. “They’ve just got on top of us in that area and it’s very hard to come back from. We all have to be as physical as we ever have been.”

Even without their Vunipolas, England possess some behemoths but Sexton insists Ireland can stand up to them.

He added: “Cian Healy (inset), James Ryan, Tadhg Furlong, CJ Stander, Josh van der Flier, Robbie Henshaw – they’re pretty physical to me. I think physically we can match them but there are lots of things that need to go in to it.

“It’s not just charging off the line, you need to be set early, in the right position first of all. If you are out of position, or you let them take the edge early and get over the gainline, then you’re going backwards and they’re coming on to the ball.

“Winning the physical battle isn’t just about size, it’s about the little bits around that – being lower, all those things.

“I wouldn’t say they’re way bigger or stronger than us but we’re going to have to find ways to deal with their physicality – we’ve got some of it ourselves.”

IRELAND women have made two changes to the side to face England tomorrow in Doncaster (12.45pm) with Aoife Doyle and Katie Fitzhenry replacing Beibhinn Parsons and Michelle Claffey respectively.