It's zero degrees in London.
Johnny Sexton's veins might well need to be cooler if Ireland are going to clinch a third ever Grand Slam but Joe Schmidt's scummy Irish (credit:
Eddie Jones) will have to overcome the elements as well as well as history as well as a good England side if they are going to succeed.
It's one of those days when, whether you take it thick or not when someone asks if rugby is now the people's game, the country is united.
I once replied to an older fella about a game he was talking in great depth about - 'I wouldn't be too much of a rugby man, now'. He looked at me and replied, 'neither am I... but I'm an Irish man.'
And, so, on days like today - on Grand Slam day - you have man, woman and child all gripped on a nation's hopes.
https://twitter.com/patmccarry/status/974950792322043904
But, whilst there will be a white heat of battle exploding around 2.45pm on the pitch of Twickenham, temperatures are plummeting all around good old London Town where snow is dropping from the sky and, as a consequence, the pitches are now being marked with blue lines instead of white.
https://twitter.com/sineadkissane/status/974976300044685312
https://twitter.com/Inphosports/status/974955443914199041
Ahead of the game, Ireland made just
one change to the side which saw off Scotland to leave them in this position where they could win a second Grand Slam in just nine years.
And they could do it in the lion's den.
https://twitter.com/SportsJOEdotie/status/974921369036181504
