Dave Kearney confident minor tweaks will release mojo

First Wales, then England. Now Italy.

Run your thumb along the line tracing Ireland’s last three outings against fellow tier one nations and the portents aren’t exactly favourable ahead of Sunday’s Pool D heavyweight bout against the French in Cardiff.

The opening World Cup performances against Canada and Romania had restored confidence dented by those two final warm-ups against the Welsh and English, but they now seem to be far less relevant in the greater scheme of things.