O'Driscoll: weather helped us

Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll admitted the weather played into his side’s hands as they overcame defending champions France 15-12 in a tryless RBS 6 Nations clash in Dublin.

Both sides experienced difficulty in coping with a swirling wind and persistent drizzle at Lansdowne Road but Ireland maintained their 100% record thanks to sure-footed fly-half David Humphreys, who kicked four penalties to take his points tally to 55 in three games.

“Because of the weather conditions, France were unable to play their usual expansive game,” said O’Driscoll, who has yet to experience defeat as Irish skipper.

“It was our job to make sure they couldn’t attack as they usually do and perhaps the weather did play a part in that.”

Ireland have now won their last nine matches and have beaten the French three times in their last four meetings to confirm their emergence as a world force.

Although they were unable to add to the eight tries they scored against Scotland and Italy, coach Eddie O’Sullivan was delighted with his side’s persistence and patience as they condemned the reigning champions to a second defeat in three games.

“I’m relieved to come out of a tight game,” he said “I’m very proud of the team and very happy with the way they stuck to the task.

“It was very important to get a win against a world-class side in very difficult conditions. I think it was a good professional job.

“There were mistakes on both sides. It was probably the ugliest game I’ve seen for a long time but it’s looking a lot prettier when you come out the right side of it.

“That’s a good French side who came into the game knowing they could still win the six nations. They really made us work for the victory.

“Our defence was magnificent. The spell just before half-time when we had to defend our own line might have been a key moment.

“Had they scored, they would have been pretty upbeat coming out for the second half. But, when they didn’t score, I think there was a slight doubt in their minds. They’re the kind of things that are important in a tight game like that.”

Ireland will now be favourites to maintain their winning sequence in Cardiff when they take on Wales on March 22 and victory at the Millennium Stadium will set up a Grand Slam decider with England a week later.

O’Driscoll sounded a cautionary note, however, and insisted they will not be taking the Welsh lightly.

“The further you get, the harder each game becomes,” he said. “Sides are there to knock you down and Wales are going to try to stop us from setting up a potential Grand Slam decider against England.

“They’re going to be good in Cardiff. We know what a capable side Wales can be on their day and we won’t be taking them lightly at all.”

France missed their injured skipper Fabien Galthie and coach Bernard Laporte also bemoaned the absence of prop Pieter de Villiers and centre Tony Marsh but he had no complaints about the defeat.

“Against both England and Ireland we gave too many points away,” he said. “We were not able to score when we had opportunities and that is something we are going to have to work on.

“The only positive was our defence, which is the best in the six nations, but we are not able to win a game at the moment.”

Laporte admitted that he will now consider making changes as he looks to mould a winning team in time for the World Cup.

“We cannot win the Six Nations any more and so we may make changes,” he said. “We have got to look forward.”