Irish concerns, real and imagined

IT’S the same every year. We loseto France and immediately the reaction seems to be — “and they are not even a great French team”.

If that is the case, then what does it say about us? Ireland have now lost nine of the last 10 encounters against the French. Paul O’Connell has only ever beaten them once, and that during a period when we have fielded one of the greatest Irish teams of all time.

France have made an art form of beating us in World Cups — 1995, 2003 and 2007 — and are singularly responsible for ruining two very special days in recent Irish rugby history, the first ever rugby international in Croke Park in 2007 and the first Six Nations game to take place in the new Aviva Stadium. If Ireland seek to make their new home a fortress then we haven’t got off to a great start, beaten in three of the first five Tests played there.