"It's a horrible looking thing!"
Jonny Sexton can't take anymore. No, he is very happy with life in Paris and all is going well on the field with Ireland. The international has had enough of Gordon D'Arcy's beard and matters came to a head last November.
"I was just sick of looking at it so I said to D'Arce before the NZ game, if we win can I shave your beard and he said yeah. That was probably one of the biggest disappointments about not beating NZ, was to take that horrible thing off," grinned Sexton.
Thankfully the former Leinster player is over that disappointment and his form with Racing Metro and Ireland hasn't suffered but he may yet get his wish as he revealed today.
"So now we've got a Grand Slam on the line, for the people of Ireland we want to win the Grand Slam, not just to give them something to celebrate but to get rid of Gordon D'Arcy's beard."
On a more serious note Sexton insists that Ireland won't be getting carried away with their dismantling of Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations.
"Even though we've beaten an outstanding team in Wales, we beat them at home so it's job done. It's not a case of swinging from the rooftops and celebrating like we've won the Championship. It's very much a case of we've done the job that was required of us and now next step is England in Twickenham so a big challenge for us there and it will go up a level."
And what about the favourites tag hung on Ireland by the media in France?
"Maybe in France they made us favourites after losing to the All Blacks, that doesn't really make sense."
If Joe Schmidt's men are to have any chance of success in this year's tournament, the outhalf knows that Ireland need to back up the last two performances with more of the same in London.
"We've always thought we are a good team but we've never produced it consistently and if we want to win a Championship or any silverware you have to be consistent and that requires another good performance against England and if we can do that we're in with a chance."
Aer Lingus ambassador Johnny Sexton kicked off a special offer of ‘up to 20% off’ fares on selected European routes booked from today to Sunday 16th February for travel from 1st May to 30th June. For more information visit www.aerlingus.com
Image © www.inpho.ie
