Team-mates unfazed by Sexton’s Mr Angry persona

Of all the theories put forward for Ireland’s Six Nations wobble the suggestion that Jonathan Sexton’s bark has bitten into the team’s morale seems to be the biggest stretch.

Among those voicing such a claim is Tony Ward, a predecessor of Sexton’s in the green No.10 shirt who floated the idea in his newspaper column this week on the back of some very public venting of emotions on the part of the reigning world player of the year.