Leinster fly-half Johnny Sexton has called on Ireland's young players to impress when they take part in this year's Six Nations competition.

Sexton, who is expected to be handed the Number 10 shirt for the Lions' tour of Australia next summer, has admitted, however, that Ireland are a side in transition.

"Playing with guys like Brian O'Driscoll has been an honour for me and I'd put a lot of other players in that bracket - you learn so much from these guys. But it's time now for the younger guys to come in and start taking ownership of the team," he told Sky Sports News.

"Those guys earned their reputation by producing in an Ireland jersey year in year out - the younger guys, we've produced on occasion but we haven't done it consistently and that's what we need to do now going forward.

"People probably think I'm a new boy because I look about 15! But I'd say I'm somewhere in the middle - I've just turned 27 so it's up to people like me to take charge of the team."

Ireland finished third in the 2012 Six Nations campaign.