Like 'doing your Leaving Cert with 60,000 people correcting it' - Ireland captain Peter O'Mahony

It's not the prime-time slot but the earlier the better for Peter O’Mahony as he tries to calm the nerves.

The Guinness Six Nations resumes after a two-week break this afternoon with Ireland welcoming Wales to the Aviva Stadium for the 2.15pm matinee.

The Calcutta Cup clash of England and Scotland is the weekend’s soiree and the Murrayfield action kicks off at 4.45pm.

And the moment that Andrea Piardi blows the first whistle can’t come soon enough for the new Ireland skipper.

On media duty yesterday afternoon, the 34-year-old Munster man cut a relaxed figure; more often, throughout his long career, it’s been an irksome task.

The stories of O'Mahony’s pre-match nerves have long been on the record and even if he’s about to win his 104th international cap, including one as Lions skipper in 2017, playing for Ireland is something that always induces the butterflies.

"I think probably worse it's getting, you find more ways, you find it easier to combat it," says O’Mahony when asked how he deals with the nerves now.

"It doesn't get any easier. I'd often describe it as doing your Leaving Cert with 60,000 people correcting it live, and another whatever [amount of people] watching at home - except doing it every weekend.

"You've to find a way to find some sleep during the week before your first test.

"It doesn't get any easier, but you do find ways and we've used different tools... it's helped with experience that you know what to do.

"I like to be around people, I don't like to be on my own.

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"I'd often head off for a coffee and as we're going back to the hotel there'd be another group, and I'd turn around and head off again.

"People find their own way, some people like to be left alone and you figure