Johnny Sexton admits he’s primed for revenge mission against New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals as he warns Ireland team-mated they ‘need to be ready’

Johnny Sexton is primed for a New Zealand revenge mission in the World Cup quarter-finals, as Ireland charged into the knockout stages with a resounding win against Scotland.

The result saw Ireland top Pool B, following their earlier win against world champions South Africa, and pitches them into a winner-takes-all clash with the All Blacks in Paris next Saturday night.

And the memory of Ireland’s historic series win when touring New Zealand last summer is still strong in the minds of their players, and Sexton is sure it will be part of their motivation for this mouth-watering encounter.

‘It’s going to be another very tough game,’ said the Ireland captain, shortly after the 36-14 win against the Scots.

‘I see they’re talking about revenge already. It’s a game that they want and we need to be ready for it.’

The memory of Ireland’s historic series win when touring New Zealand last summer is still strong in the minds of their players

Andy Farrell, who insisted Ireland have still not played to their best, paid fresh tribute to the extraordinary support

Andy Farrell, who insisted Ireland have still not played to their best, paid fresh tribute to the extraordinary support, with Irish fans vastly outnumbering the Scots inside the ground. Some estimates put the Irish contingent at upwards of 60,000 in a crowd of 78,459.

‘We got a bit of stick for walking around after South Africa, but we’ve done it after every game,’ said Farrell, referring to the team greeting the supporters after the final whistle.

‘It’s the least we can do after they turned out in their thousands. It means more to us than people think. France is buzzing with Irish people but I know it’s going bonkers back home.’

Scotland coach Gregor Townsend, who declared Ireland one of the two favourites for the World Cup, had no complaints.

‘I’ve got to give credit to Ireland, they executed really well and took the game away from us.’Suggesting that the systems in Ireland could see them dominating the game for ‘the next five, ten years’, he said it was the best the Irish have played against Scotland in his time as coach.

‘They’re the best in the world for a reason,’ he said.