‘Hammer the hammer’

Three key areas of confrontation at the Aviva today

Sat, 09 Mar, 2013 - 00:00

1. The set-piece

The French will use their scrum to impose themselves on an Irish pack that has struggled to maintain their physical intensity over the full 80 minutes of games in this championship.

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Courts Sports Columnists Place: Aviva Place: Rome Person: French Person: Thomas Domingo Person: Dan Cole Person: Yannick Forestier Person: Benjamin Kayser Person: Domingo Person: Mike Ross Person: Nicolas Mas Person: Vincent Debaty Person: Stephen Archer Person: Declan Kidney Person: Debaty Person: Christophe Samson Person: Yoann Maestri Person: Maestri Person: Jamie Heaslip Person: Louis Picamoles Person: Ciaran Fitzgerald Person: Fitzy Person: Heaslip Person: Sebastian Chabal Person: Picamoles Person: Sergio Parisse Person: Italians Person: Philippe Saint-Andre Saint-Andre Person: Kidney Person: Marc Lievremont Person: Saint-Andre Person: Paddy Jackso Event: Lions Test Event: Heineken Cup Organisation: England Organisation: Clermont Auvergne Organisation: Clermont Organisation: Leinster Organisation: Cork Organisation: France Organisation: Ireland Organisation: Nyanga Organisation: Irish Organisation: Toulouse Organisation: Italy Organisation: Scotland

<p>THE DIFFERENCE: Northern Ireland's headcoach Michael O'Neill (L) speaks to midfielder Justin Devenny during the 2026 World Cup qualifier with Germany (Photo by INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images) </p>

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