If Johnny Sexton is worried about the possibility of serving a ban then he's not showing it, according to Garry Ringrose.
The Ireland captain will face an disciplinary committee on 13 July after a misconduct complaint was made against Sexton and Leinster regarding his behaviour following their Champions Cup final loss to La Rochelle in May.
Sexton, the club captain, was injured and did not play but was seen to remonstrate with the match officials on the pitch after the 27-26 defeat at the Aviva Stadium.
The out-half, who turns 38 next week, is currently in Ireland camp as the squad builds up towards World Cup warm-up games against Italy, England and Samoa next month.
Depending on the outcome of the hearing, Sexton could possibly miss out on a home send-off with the first two games taking place in Dublin before Ireland go on the road. He will retire following the World Cup.
"I don't think so," said team-mate Ringrose when asked if the potential ban hanging over Sexton was casting a shadow over the squad.
"He's certainly training as hard as ever and getting the most out of everyone around him.
"Nothing's changed from that perspective but I don't know is the honest answer but hopefully it's all right."
The Dubliner hasn't played since Ireland’s final Grand Slam match against England in March when he went off with a groin injury that later required surgery but Sexton’s wealth of experience – 119 Test caps including six for the Lions – will stand to him, reckons Ringrose, who says the former Racing 92 man is well used to slotting back in after long spells out.
The 28-year-old, speaking as an ambassador for the National Dairy Council, said: "He has an unbelievable gift that whatever challenge seems to be thrown at him he deals with it head on.
"[He is] is resilient and gets through it so him coming back, whether he gets to play all the pre-season games or if he or some guys pick up a niggle and have to wait until the World Cup to play, but him and a few others are brilliant at being able to tackle any challenge that comes their way.
"He's an unbelievable leader for us, he has so much experience when it comes to the World Cup so everyone is still tapping into him as much as they can and he has been brilliant at helping other guys around him, whatever might happen outside of that.
"So whatever happens, happens but I know he'll be able to take it in his stride."
Yesterday, Munster's Jean Kleyn was named in the Springboks team for their clash with Australia in the Rugby Championship on Saturday.
The South African played with Ringrose for Ireland when he won five caps back in 2019, including two in the World Cup.
Andy Farrell’s side could well come into direct contact with the second row if he impresses over the next two months and keeps his place in the World Cup holders’ squad with Ireland due to face South Africa in the fourth pool game in France.
Ringrose said: "Yeah, he's gone well with Munster so it's just interesting with the new rule, we've seen it with him and a couple of other players.
"He probably knows the guys pretty well but at the same time guys would know him well too, from Munster anyway, and I suppose from the other provinces.
"I wouldn't read too much into it other than it's an opportunity for him that he obviously went and took."
Ringrose has been busy since the season ended with the heartbreaking European final loss for the second year in a row to La Rochelle.
The centre got married and has been on a mini honeymoon. Yesterday, following the virtual interview, he had the wellies on as part of the Teagasc National Dairy Open Day in Fermoy.
"I don’t have any farming background but I have my own professional take on diet and my take on some of the misinformation that is out there in terms of what is good for you, what helps and what doesn’t," he said of the campaign.
"And then I have my wife in my corner who is a dietician and who I always ask for advice. I hope they don’t ask me any questions about the cows."
