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17th November 2016
04:34pm GMT

"Last November we beat South Africa and Australia back-to-back and we’ve had other victories back-to-back, but there’s still an element that we’ve spoken about a little bit about needing to back it up. "But really, again, it's performance driven in that regard - turning up on the day, making sure emotionally, physically that we’re ready to go and in the right frame of mind as we were last time and then the result will come after that. But that’s all we can influence at the moment and that’s what we talked about."Sexton insists that Ireland have learned an awful lot from the 40-29 victory at Soldier Field. You cannot afford to rest or shell up against the All Blacks. Ireland know they can't play the full 80+ minutes on the front foot but they are going to take the fight to the world champions. As for what makes this team, and its new additions, a different animal from the Class of 2013 [and the late heartbreak they suffered in Dublin], the outhalf says:
"We just got back to the plan and there was some good plays by the lads that got us back down there and we took our chances. Obviously Robbie Henshaw had that great finish off the set play. That was really it. "When we sat back was when we got ourselves into trouble and then the guys took the front foot again. We took the front foot, got back down into their territory and we were really clinical."Can they do it again? Schmidt and Sexton are making the right noises off the pitch. On Saturday, they put these brave words into practice all over again. Aaron Kernan joins Colm Parkinson on The GAA Hour to explain the work he's doing for the Club Players Association. Derry captain Chrissy McKaigue talks Slaughtneil and a Dublin club advertising for hurlers gets a sore touch. Subscribe here on iTunes.
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