Kearney: We must start better and just hang in there

Rob Kearney has described Ireland’s failure to win in Paris since 2000 as “sad” but breaking the pattern will require no silly errors or soft tries when Declan Kidney’s team returns to Stade de France on Sunday.

Full-back Kearney yesterday received a clean bill of health along with the rest of Ireland’s walking wounded from the 42-10 win over Italy last weekend and can be expected to be named today in Kidney’s side to face France.

The last time the Irish enjoyed success in the French capital, Kearney was just 13, when a Brian O’Driscoll hat-trick of tries helped Ireland to a 27-25 win on March 19, 2000. The Leinster star, now 25, believes the current side has to begin Sunday’s game much more smartly than they did in the first two games of this Six Nations campaign against Wales and Italy or have done in too many games in Paris.

“Starting better and just hanging in,” Kearney said of the keys to finding success against the French. “If we’re there or thereabouts with 20 minutes to go, I think we’ll be in a good place. The French have a tendency at times to start dipping with 20 minutes to go, but it might not always be a situation where they’re in tight games. We just need to limit our errors and not give away soft tries, which is what we’ve usually done in Paris.”

Kearney took a full part in training at Carton House yesterday, having reported a tight groin following the Italy game last Saturday. Centre Gordon D’Arcy will resume training today, having been rested yesterday following a bang to his shoulder and suffering a “soft tissue” foot injury in the victory while forwards Cian Healy and Sean O’Brien were also declared as being fine for the weekend. Loosehead prop Healy had only limited contact in yesterday’s session following a bang on the jaw sustained tackling Italy full-back Andrea Masi while a scan on flanker O’Brien’s stiff ankle revealed no serious damage and he is expected to be fit.

Kearney believes Ireland are on an upward curve following that sluggish opening defeat by Wales and was satisfied with a more aggressive defensive performance against the Italians.

“It had to be,” he said. “It couldn’t go any other direction. It’s something that you probably wouldn’t associate with this team and we’d hate to be thought of as a team that defends soft and lets teams come to us rather than take their space. I think there was a huge improvement, but it needs to be picked up again this week because France are the one team in this competition you can’t afford to give space to, we need to shut them down quickly.”