IRELAND VERSUS ENGLAND, in Dublin, on the final weekend of the Six Nations. When the fixture list was fresh off the printer, it had the look of a game which could determine the outcome of the championship.

Unfortunately for those involved, that has not transpired.

Both teams have fallen short this year, even if England are riding high from a morale-boosting win against France.

Ireland, as we well know, feel they could have taken more from the defeats to Wales and France, but all that really matters is how the table stacks up come Saturday evening.

Defeat at the Aviva Stadium will make it all the more difficult to argue that this has been a productive campaign. A win, on the other hand, would represent a third victory on the bounce and end a four-game losing streak against England.

On paper at least, that looks like progress, and you can be sure that Andy Farrell would snap your hand off for that outcome. However, Johnny Sexton, his captain, says that beating England would not be enough to change the fact that the lasting feeling from the 2021 Six Nations will be one of regret.

“Obviously, it is good when you finish on a high but ultimately, even if we do finish on a high we will look back and think ‘this is one that got away,’” Sexton said.

Like I have talked about the Welsh game, going down to 14 and the French game and how close that was. You know, you could very easily be going for a championship this weekend. Same as England, you know? There is so little between a lot of the teams in this competition, that’s been proven over the results. You look through the tournament, the results that have happened back up what I am saying.

“There is very little between the teams, between going for a Grand Slam and going for, you know, nothing. But we are determined to finish on a high.”

This Six Nations has not gone to plan for Ireland. Any signs of progress over the campaign have been overshadowed by a smattering of individual defensive errors and an attacking game which has failed to find its flow.

As a result, there will be little more than pride on the line when England come to Dublin. Neither side have a Grand Slam to chase or a title to try seal. 

The players must look elsewhere for motivation. In the Ireland camp, the chance to send CJ Stander riding off into the sunset on a high will provide an emotional spur, but Sexton is aware that they cannot place to much emphasis on what is set to be the Munster backrow’s last appearance in a green jersey.

“Sometimes you can have these big send-offs or big occasions, you know, if it is a 50th or a 100th cap or something and it can get to guys, the emotion can be a bit too much,” Sexton explains.

You have to harness it the right way. And ultimately that emotion is good for five or six minutes, and then it’s just about who plays the best will win the game. It is something you can use but you have to use in the right way because like I said, ultimately, it will come down to the detail in and around key areas of the game like discipline, set-piece, making the most of your opportunities, taking your chances, that is where it is won or lost.”

Ireland will likely need to produce their best display of the season if they are to topple Eddie Jones’ England, who come to Dublin on the back of an unexpectedly promising performance against Les Bleus.

Beaten by both Scotland and Wales and having been criticised for a limited and predictable gameplan, England opened up against France to record a thrilling 23-20 win.

Ireland, on the other hand, left Scotland with a much-welcome second win of the championship, but still found themselves cursing the same old failings which have dogged their campaign.

One area in which Ireland, and certainly Sexton, can not be accused of falling short is belief. 

“We are very confident,” Sexton continued. “We were confident going into last week. We started the game brilliantly so you could see that confidence wasn’t an issue, but we made some errors.

“We obviously didn’t exit well. Then they scored three points. Then we obviously got a turnover… We didn’t use out turnover ball well enough at the weekend, that was the big learning for us, you know, you consider that great poach in the outside channel and then we get charged down and we are 10-8 down after being ‘in control’ most of the game.

“So there are big learnings there for us this week, that is something that has popped up in each game. You know, there are different things from different games, and we just have to put it all together.”