Johnny Sexton insists Ireland are fully mentally prepared to jump their Rugby World Cup quarter-final hurdle against New Zealand this weekend.
Ireland have named an unchanged side from their 36-14 win over Scotland to face the All Blacks in Paris on Saturday.
Andy Farrell’s Ireland have powered to the top of the world rankings and are now determined to progress beyond the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time, and end their long-running last-eight hoodoo.
Ireland have beaten New Zealand in five of the last eight meetings between the two teams, and facing the All Blacks no longer holds the fears of times past.
The mental block of reaching a World Cup semi-final certainly remains however, leaving captain Sexton determined that this will be the time when Ireland break that duck.
“We have worked on our mental game for the last four years and put ourselves in different scenarios to prepare for this,” said Sexton.
“All the previous quarter-finals have been different, each of those groups have been different so it’s not like we have been in quarter-finals year on year.
“This is a one-off game and you have got to prepare for that. We’re just trying to win a World Cup, it’s something you have to go and get.
“It’s not something you need to put extra pressure on yourself about. It’s not something I’ve thought about in terms of my own career. It’s all geared to Saturday and it’s another massive challenge for us.”
Connacht wing Mack Hansen has shaken off a calf problem to be fit for Saturday’s match, but Keith Earls, Robbie Henshaw and James Ryan are still sidelined.
Ireland hope they would have all three injured players back fit next week, should they reach that maiden semi-final.
This weekend though they will go up against their former boss in the shape of Joe Schmidt, who has been All Blacks attack coach for the last year.
“I see evidence of Joe’s coaching through the team. Joe’s done a great job over the last 12 months, they’ve made big strides,” said Sexton.
“Joe knows us well, we know him well, but Joe doesn’t get to make any tackles or run any lines at the weekend. But the legacy he left Irish rugby is massive.”
Ireland team to face New Zealand
Starting XV: H Keenan; M Hansen, G Ringrose, B Aki, J Lowe; J Sexton, J Gibson-Park; A Porter, D Sheehan, T Furlong; T Beirne, I Henderson; P O’Mahony, J Van Der Flier, C Doris.
Replacements: R Kelleher, D Kilcoyne, F Bealham, J McCarthy, J Conan, J Crowley, J O’Brien.
