Whenever you break down the celebs that aligned for Eire’s fourth Grand Slam success, it might simply be handed off as the tip of a journey.

It performed out like a Hollywood ending, however Eire insist that is solely just the start.

“They’re an amazing group, nice administration workforce and nice bunch of gamers,” stated Sexton, who broke Ronan O’Gara’s scoring file, went off injured and lifted the Six Nations trophy on an eventful day for the 37-year-old in Dublin.

“I stated within the dressing room that it is not the tip. There’s loads extra left on this workforce.”

It is exhausting to argue with Sexton. Whereas he’ll draw the curtain on an illustrious profession after the World Cup within the autumn, the gamers who shone brightest throughout Eire’s newest Grand Slam-winning marketing campaign counsel the workforce’s long-term future is in protected fingers beneath the management of Farrell, who’s beneath contract till 2025.

Caelan Doris, who bought the ball rolling with the primary attempt within the opening day win over Wales, has been a colossal determine within the Irish again row.

Hugo Keenan, two years older than Doris at 26, loved a sensational match and the very fact the Leinster full-back has began 31 of Eire’s final 33 matches reveals how extremely Andy Farrell and the teaching workers fee him.

Ever-dependable lock James Ryan continues to develop in stature whereas in Mack Hansen and James Lowe they’ve two thrilling wings with the flexibility to show tight Check matches right away.

Then there may be Ross Byrne, whose composed show in his first Six Nations begin in Rome confirmed that he has the talents and decision-making to step out of Sexton’s shadow.

They’ve all contributed meaningfully to a marketing campaign wherein Eire dealt with all the pieces that was thrown at them, from dropping Jamison Gibson-Park to harm simply earlier than the opening match in Cardiff to the immense weight of expectation that got here with the match’s climactic chapter in Dublin.

In Cardiff, Eire merely blew Wales away contained in the opening 21 minutes. In opposition to France, they exacted revenge for final 12 months’s Paris ache, ending Les Bleus’ 14-match profitable run to prevail in a tussle between the world’s high two sides.

With out a host of gamers in Rome, and stretched at instances by a vibrant Azzurri assault, Eire nonetheless discovered a method to register a bonus-point win earlier than getting over the road on a chaotic afternoon at Murrayfield when accidents pressured Josh van der Flier into line-out throwing duties and prop Cian Healy crammed in at hooker.

And with the Grand Slam on the road in Dublin, Eire managed to complete the job off regardless of a nervy first-half efficiency that ignited English hopes of a significant upset.

Eire’s versatility and street-smarts on the high stage of Check rugby are to be admired, however Sexton insists there may be way more work forward because the World Cup in France slowly drifts into view.

“We have to preserve constructing,” warned Sexton.

“There are loads of guys which might be injured, that missed this marketing campaign and are going to come back again and actually put stress on the fellows which have been enjoying.

“That is what we’d like. Come World Cup time we’d like 40, 45 gamers all on the identical stage, combating for positions.”

Farrell feels the identical means. The 47-year-old Englishman, whose son Owen captained England on Saturday, has previously spoken of his fascination with groups who can get to the highest and keep there.

It’s clear he sees appreciable room for enchancment. On condition that Eire might face France or New Zealand within the World Cup quarter-finals, and South Africa within the final 4, it’s maybe not that stunning that Farrell desires to maintain this group on their toes.

“We’re a great aspect that has nowhere close to reached its potential,” insisted Farrell.

“I have been saying over the past couple of weeks that is what we’ve been striving to do.

“Like Johnny stated, we’ll get just a few folks again to compete, practice exhausting. Everybody goes to get higher in the summertime after we get to spend extra time collectively.

“We anticipate our aspect, after we get to the primary recreation within the World Cup to be loads higher than what we are actually and that is the fact.”

‘Sexton Eire’s biggest participant’

It was, in fact, Sexton’s day, and whereas some will look forward to the World Cup earlier than making grand statements about his place within the pantheon of Irish greats, he was being lauded because the nation’s biggest ever participant inside minutes of Saturday’s trophy presentation.

“He is been saying all week that is what desires are product of,” stated Farrell. “It does not come round that always.

“And it is unbelievably becoming that in my view the perfect participant ever to play for Eire is ready to log off on a Grand Slam, on St Patrick’s Day (weekend), in entrance of his personal crowd.

“There are loads of stars which have aligned over the course of the final eight weeks and are available collectively this night.”

Farrell’s sentiments have been echoed by one other Grand Slam winner in Jamie Heaslip, who praised Sexton’s capability to deal with the burden of the Eire quantity 10 jersey time and time once more.

“Ten in Eire is such a lightning-rod place that causes controversy,” Heaslip, who gained the 2009 Grand Slam with Eire, informed the BBC Rugby Union Every day podcast.

“There was speak of ‘is Johnny Sexton achieved?’ He is needed to take care of loads of accidents alongside the best way. You possibly can’t deny Eire are a greater aspect with Johnny Sexton in it.

“You’ve got a participant in Ross Byrne who has lastly bought his likelihood to be inheritor to the throne.”