Peter Jackson: Johnny Sexton can draw on comforting Springbok history

Barring a Scottish ambush, Saturday night’s victor will avoid a quarter-final against France in their capital citadel. Instead, they will expect to run into the unconvincing All Blacks.

RECORD MAN: Jonathan Sexton of Ireland celebrates scoring his side's fourth try. Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

At some stage en route to Saturday night in Paris, Johnny Sexton will be tempted to rewind the years to a cold, misty afternoon at Croke Park.

The Dubliner now daring to make history on a weekly basis hasn’t attained his venerable status by wasting time on nostalgia and yet he would be less than human if he didn’t revisit the events of November 28, 2009: not for old times' sake but the sake of the ultimate goal.