Johnny Sexton will keep the No. 10 jersey

Sexton, 35, doesn’t plan to keep on playing into his 40s but nor is he ready to simply hand over his jersey at Leinster or Ireland. It is up to another to take it from him as was the case with last four Ireland outhalves to amass 35 caps or more; three of them played into their mid 30s at Test level, making matchday squads if not always first choice at that point.

Eric Elwood (35 caps, 1993-1999) was a spring chicken at 30 when he made his final appearance against Romania. Three of his last four caps were off the bench. David Humphreys (72 caps, 10 of last 14 as a replacement) was 34-years-old, while Ronan O’Gara (128, last 12 caps as a replacement) was one month shy of his 36th birthday.

So looking at the 27-year period in question three of the four players that have dominated the Irish number 10 jersey all enjoyed a long innings and had the jersey taken rather than gave it up.

Quote of the week

“What we learnt from the Tri Nations last year and the tennis that’s happening now is that Australia can successfully stage global tournaments in a Covid world.” Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan on a desire to host the summer Test series between South Africa and the Lions; neither of the participants appear that keen.

Number of the week

36 - The number of times Ireland has ‘received the Wooden Spoon’ dating back to the original Home Nations tournament, through the Five Nations and latterly Six Nations. It’s more than any other country.

On this day

February 3rd, 1894 - Ireland won their first ever Home Nations Championship title and a first Triple Crown with a clean sweep of victories against the other participants, England, Wales and Scotland. They opened with a narrow 7-5 win against England at Blackheath’s Rectory Field through a try from Belfast born forward John Lytle - he won eight caps, played alongside his brother James and died aged 34 - and a drop goal (worth four points in those days) from captain, Wanderers’ Edmund Forrest.

Dublin doctor Thomas Crean, one of only four rugby internationals worldwide to win a Victoria Cross - three played for Wanderers - was a member of that team. Ireland beat Scotland for the first time 5-0, in their next game and then claimed the championship and Triple Crown against Wales at the Ulster Cricket Ground in Belfast. John Lytle’s penalty was the only score of the match in a 3-0 win.

A trophy for every occasion

You remember the good old days when you had a trophy for the winners of the Home/Five/Six Nations Championship and latterly a Triple Crown salver/shield, while a Grand Slam and the ubiquitous ‘Wooden Spoon’ were other things of note.

Now there is a trophy for nearly every occasion. Ireland and England contest the Millennium Trophy, the winner of Ireland versus Scotland receives the Centenary Quaich, England and Scotland play for the Calcutta Cup, France and Italy for the Garibaldi trophy, Wales and Scotland for the Doddie Weir Cup, which was first presented in 2018, the same year that France and Scotland came up with the Auld Alliance Trophy.

It celebrates a military and diplomatic agreement dating back to 1295 but also commemorates those who lost their lives in the First World War.

Macron economics

Macron is the biggest player when it comes to jersey manufacture in the Six Nations. The Italian sportswear company not only supplies its national team with match, training and leisurewear but also does the same for the Scotland and Wales (2020) teams.

Founded in 1971 with its headquarters in Crespellano, Bologna, it is a major player in the sportswear market, supplying club and national kits for basketball, volleyball, soccer, baseball, running as well as rugby. Canterbury supply kit to the Ireland team while Umbro took over as England gear manufacturers last year.

Le Coq Sportif returned to providing the playing, training apparel jerseys for the French national team in 2018. They had done so at several stages through the years dating back to the 1950s but won the rights back from adidas two years ago.