Johnny Sexton: Ireland have plenty of stuff to brush up on despite Wales win

Captain Johnny Sexton insists Ireland still have significant room for improvement, despite blowing away defending champions Wales in their Guinness Six Nations opener.

The in-form Irish impressively stretched their winning run to nine games following Bundee Aki’s early try, a second-half brace from Andrew Conway and Garry Ringrose’s solo score in a comprehensive 29-7 bonus-point victory.

Andy Farrell’s men dominated from the outset in Dublin and would have been the first team to keep the depleted Welsh scoreless in a Six Nations match but for a late lapse which led to a consolation try from Taine Basham.

The resounding result was in stark contrast to 12 months ago when Ireland suffered a damaging first-round defeat in Cardiff.

Fly-half Sexton, who added nine points with his boot, was delighted to avenge that loss by laying solid foundations ahead of travelling to pre-tournament favourites France next weekend.

“I can’t tell you how demoralising it is when you go back to last year, first game sitting in the dressing room with nothing to show for all of your efforts: Triple Crown gone, Grand Slam gone and up against it to win a championship,” he said.

“That’s what we’re pleased with most.

“We feel there was plenty of stuff to brush up on for next week because France away is arguably one of the biggest tests in world rugby, so we need to be at our very best and we need to learn some lessons from today, even in victory.

“I think we did that well over November and hopefully we continue in that vein.”

Having gone through a transitional phase, 2018 Grand Slam champions Ireland are beginning to look the real deal again after an outstanding autumn, which included glory against New Zealand.

Wales arrived at a sold-out Aviva Stadium