Six Nations rugby: Maggs looking to bag opening win

Ireland centre Kevin Maggs has stressed the importance of making a strong start as his side prepare to launch their Lloyds TSB Six Nations campaign.

Last year’s runners-up open this season’s championship with a home clash against Wales on Sunday and Maggs says the team cannot afford to be caught cold.

Last season they were undone by Scotland in their first match following the resumption of the tournament after the delay caused by the foot and mouth outbreak.

That defeat ultimately denied the Irish the Grand Slam and Maggs hopes they can prevent the Welsh pulling off a similar raid at Lansdowne Road.

He said: ‘‘If you look at all the teams last year, everyone who came in cold to their first games (following the foot-and-mouth delay) lost.

‘‘But we need to start as we mean to go on and hopefully take a win against Wales into Twickenham. We just need to keep the winning streak running.’’

Maggs admits however that their encounter with Wales will prove far from easy despite victory over them at the Millennium Stadium last autumn.

He added: ‘‘They’ve made nine changes to the team that lost in Cardiff so it’s going to be difficult.

‘‘And even in that last game we didn’t actually break them down until around the 70th minute, so it’s going to be a big test for us.

‘‘With their winning streak in Dublin as well it’s going to be a big game. The lads are up for it and for the new lads it’s going to be a big chance for them.

‘‘The first game is always a big one.’’

Maggs is determined to hold onto his place in the side after being given a chance to prove himself in the autumn Tests.

He said: ‘‘It’s been nice to get a chance with Rob Henderson injured last year and to get a run with the team.

‘‘And with us doing so well as a team it’s given me the chance to start against Wales and hopefully I can stay there.’’

The Bath star is still licking his wounds from last weekend’s Heineken Cup defeat at home to Llanelli but believes Ireland will still benefit from this season’s competition.

Maggs still has a bruised and swollen nose following the Llanelli loss but said: ‘‘There are plenty of winners and losers in the squad from the weekend.

‘‘For Geordan (Murphy) at Leicester, the Munster boys and the Easterby boys at Llanelli it’s been great and to be honest it’s great for the whole squad to have so many of us involved in the quarter-finals and now the semi-finals.’’