{"id":296040,"date":"2023-10-13T12:24:28","date_gmt":"2023-10-13T12:24:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=296040"},"modified":"2023-10-13T12:24:28","modified_gmt":"2023-10-13T12:24:28","slug":"doing-it-for-johnny-adds-to-irelands-rugby-world-cup-motivation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/rugby-union\/doing-it-for-johnny-adds-to-irelands-rugby-world-cup-motivation\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Doing it for Johnny\u2019 adds to Ireland\u2019s Rugby World Cup motivation"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n
Caelan Doris says attempting to send Johnny Sexton into retirement as a world champion is adding to Ireland\u2019s motivation ahead of a mouthwatering quarter-final against New Zealand.<\/p>\n
Influential captain Sexton is due to call time on his distinguished career following the Rugby World Cup in France, meaning any match now could be his last.<\/p>\n
The 38-year-old fly-half used his personal situation to help fire up his team ahead of last weekend\u2019s pivotal Pool B win over Scotland in Paris.<\/p>\n
Ireland are back at Stade de France for a quarter-final showdown with the All Blacks on Saturday evening and number eight Doris acknowledges \u2018doing it for Johnny\u2019 is part of the squad\u2019s thinking.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, it is,\u201d said the 25-year-old, who was sitting alongside Leinster team-mate Dan Sheehan.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven last week, building into Scotland, there was a chance that could be his last ever game, he said that to us as a group. And what an unbelievable player and leader he\u2019s been for Ireland for so many years.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think all the players will agree that the standards he sets raise everyone else\u2019s game and he\u2019s almost like having another coach on the pitch.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe seems to have a bird\u2019s-eye view, he seems to see everything regardless of where you were and catches any mistake.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t get away with anything with him around, which is obviously a good thing for the most part, except when he\u2019s shouting at you for those few seconds.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe definitely brings us to another level.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe way he prepares for a game, he absolutely loves the game and puts everything into it, he\u2019s the utmost professional and he\u2019s been a great role model for the two of us.\u201d<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CyJ-dF5IYD1<\/p>\n
Ireland have won three of four meetings with New Zealand during the reign of head coach Andy Farrell, including last summer\u2019s historic 2-1 tour success.<\/p>\n
However, the Irish were thrashed 46-14 by the All Blacks at the same stage of the 2019 World Cup in Japan.<\/p>\n
With plenty on the line this weekend, suggestions of a spying scandal were downplayed after a photographer, who has been working on behalf of the Irish Rugby Football Union, attended a New Zealand training session open to members of the media.<\/p>\n
Ireland assistant coach Mike Catt was unaware of the incident on Thursday when questioned, before World Rugby\u2019s media operations manager Greg Thomas cut in.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe rules say yes (it is allowed), as long as they\u2019re standing with the rest of the photographers, they can,\u201d said Thomas, who was chairing the press conference.<\/p>\n
Mack Hansen took part in Ireland\u2019s captain\u2019s run in the French capital on Friday morning after sitting out training earlier in the week due to a calf issue sustained against the Scots.<\/p>\n
Catt insists the Australia-born wing, whose right leg was heavily strapped, is fit and ready to start, while James Ryan (wrist) and Robbie Henshaw (hamstring) could return to contention at the semi-final stage.<\/p>\n
Ireland are favourites for what is expected to be a tight and tense affair against the All Blacks.<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CyViJQfMcrY<\/p>\n
Catt says the team have contemplated the prospect of extra-time, which could be followed by 10 minutes of sudden death, and joked that a handful of forwards would be selected in the unlikely event of a kicking competition.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have spoken about it,\u201d he said. \u201cThe players know who they are: Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Beirne! They\u2019ve definitely put in an extra couple hours of kicking!<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s one of those that players are aware of it. It\u2019s a long way to get to that situation.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019d like to think in the golden point (sudden death) in\u00a010 minutes one side would take their opportunity and take points.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe players who are on the pitch know who they are and fingers crossed we put them through the middle.\u201d<\/p>\n