Six Nations: Don't get carried away, Wood warns Irish fans

Keith Wood has urged Irish supporters not to get carried away on the eve of the crunch Six Nations clash with France.

Ireland are highly fancied to follow up last year's historic win in Paris by chalking up their first win over the French at Lansdowne Road for 18 years.

But skipper Wood sounded a cautionary note at a news conference at Lansdowne Road.

He accepted that France were "fairly lethargic" in beating Scotland a fortnight ago but noted that they defeated the All Blacks in their previous match.

"Will the real France please stand up?" he asked. "I wouldn't think France will play in the same fashion as they did against Scotland.

"France are a much better side than that. We know it and they know it. It's going to be ridiculously tough."

Wood rated as 50-50 his team's chances of ending their Dublin jinx, denying they were favourites but acknowledging the significant progress made under Kiwi coach Warren Gatland.

"We've gone from the situation where we were serious outsiders to win one of these matches," he said. "We've been getting much closer over the last few years.

"But with one win in 28 years in France and without a win for 16 years or whatever over here, it's quite hard to make us favourites out of that situation."

Victory would bring back the heady days of Ciaran Fitzgerald and Fergus Slattery in the early eighties.

The Irish achieved a breakthrough with their victory in Rome a fortnight ago, winning their opening championship match for the first time since 1988, but it is 18 years since they last won their first two matches.

The year 1983 was also the last time France were beaten in Dublin but, having ended their jinx in Paris last March, they feel the time is right to bridge another yawning gap.