Johnny Sexton: Ireland carrying no mental baggage into latest quarter-final

FULL STEAM AHEAD: Ireland’s Johnny Sexton is targeting victory over New Zealand Pic: David Davies/PA

Johnny Sexton is adamant that this Ireland team will carry no mental baggage into their World Cup quarter-final clash with the All Blacks at the weekend.

Ireland have reached seven quarter-finals, and one quarter-final play-off over the course of the first nine tournaments stretching back to the inaugural event in 1987 and failed to make it to the last four on any of those occasions.