Sexton: No time to relax despite victory

ITALY 10 IRELAND 48

Ireland captain Johnny Sexton admits Saturday’s crushing victory over Italy does not mean “everything is fixed”.

Andy Farrell’s men bounced back from losses to Wales and France by running in six tries during a 48-10 bonuspoint success in Rome to record an overdue first win of the Six Nations.

Fly-half Sexton added all six conversions and two penalties on his return from a head injury to help ease mounting pressure on head coach Farrell.

Ireland travel to Scotland on March 14 before concluding the tournament six days later at home to England and Sexton acknowledges there is still plenty to do to salvage an “OK championship”.

“Each game has been different and I suppose (Saturday) was an accumulation and everything coming together a little bit,” he said.

“But it doesn’t mean everything is fixed now; we’ve got to keep improving and obviously a massive test ahead going to Murrayfield, it’s always an incredibly tough game.

“And then a six-day turnaround going into England, so it’s still all to do.

“If we get a couple of results in our last couple of games, it will be an OK championship, it will be ‘what might have been’, but we want to finish on a high.”

Defeat for the hosts was a 30th in succession in the championship, dating back six years.

Italy captain Luca Bigi said: “We have to be more cynical when we create our opportunities but we are a young team that must grow.

“It is frustrating and the group is disappointed, but our growth also passes through these situations.”