Johnny Sexton smiled when reminded that Marcus Smith, his opposite number at Twickenham on Saturday, was only 10 when the Ireland skipper was making his Test debut.
Father time waits for no-one and Sexton admits he will happily bow to the inevitable at some stage in October 2023.
If fit, Sexton will be 38 when he plays in his fourth World Cup, having signed a new IRFU contract that takes him up to the big show in France.
What excites him is continuing to play a hugely influential role in the evolution of Andy Farrell's team that, he hopes, culminates in the men in green breaking through their World Cup glass ceiling.
Other Ireland greats hoped to go out on a high on the world stage, such as John Hayes in 2011 and Gordon D'Arcy four years later. It wasn't to be for either man.
Sexton admits he is driven not to follow suit.
"The thought of doing that, you kind of go, ‘ah, I’ll just finish up now'", said Sexton.
"But the want to go on...I feel so much part of this team, I love it so much and it’s the same setup with Leinster.
"I don’t feel like I want to walk away and feel that I can still contribute. I want to and that’s the most important thing. I love coming to work everyday.
"When I added everything up, it was an easy decision. There’s always that driving factor at the back of your head that there’s a risk that you get left behind.
"But I’m determined that that won’t happen."
The desire to make a first World Cup semi-final, despite the difficulties that lie ahead, is fuelling the Dubliner.
"It’s a huge factor," Sexton confided.
"I’d like to think that even if we were successfully at previous ones I’d still have the drive but it makes it that bit easier to want to go again.
"I’m very grateful for the career I’ve had but you do look back and go, ‘we gave up some chances at World Cups and didn’t perform at other World Cups, but we want to put that right’.
"For me anyway, I'd be all over the shop if I had an uncertain period ahead. It’s even strange talking about the next 18 months on the week of an England game.
"I’m starting to think that we shouldn’t have announced it in a couple of weeks time!
"But my focus for the moment is on finishing the Six Nations on a high, finish the season - and then the after-rugby stuff I’ve started preparing for it. That will look after itself.
"I can’t imagine myself sitting and watching next year’s rugby or the next World Cup, watching this group of players play and not be part of it.
"So, that was the big thing for me - why wouldn’t you just keep going?".
Another factor was the arrival of Andy Farrell, first as Ireland's new defence coach in 2016 and then as Joe Schmidt's successor as head coach after the 2019 World Cup.
Sexton revealed that Schmidt was lobbied to get Farrell on board after England's disastrous time as hosts.
"He's had a big impact on me as a player," said the no 10.
All the senior Irish players rang Joe Schmidt and said 'we need to get this guy, he's top quality'.
"It was one of Joe's big decisions to get him in, it gave us a huge spike. It was a huge factor in us winning the Grand Slam.
"As a head coach he's put his own stamp on things, which was brave.
"We've had a period of good performances, we came a little bit unstuck against France and hope to bounce back this week.
"But, he's been brilliant since he came in. He's always challenging us, challenging me to get better."
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts
