O'Connell: Paris triumph would be a career highlight

Paul O’Connell is convinced Ireland’s status as Grand Slam champions will finally enable him to realise one of his greatest ambitions.

Ireland collide with tournament favourites France on Saturday in a match that could ultimately decide the destination of the 2010 RBS 6 Nations title.

History is heavily weighted against Ireland, who have prevailed in Paris on just two occasions since 1952 with the most recent win claimed a decade ago.

O’Connell had to wait until last year’s 30-21 triumph at Croke Park in the opening match of the championship for his first taste of glory against France in eight attempts.

Ireland prospered after toppling their perennial nemesis, marching to the Grand Slam and concluding the year with a precious win against world champions South Africa.

But while previous Irish teams have suffered in Paris, O’Connell believes the cloak of success will embolden the latest assault on the Stade de France.

“The history of the fixture gives us motivation,” said the Munster lock and Lions captain.

“If we beat France away from home it will be an incredible feeling and a good box ticked.

“It would be a highlight in my career. In my earlier years I looked at guys like (former Ireland and Munster prop) Peter Clohessy having very, very tough times over there.

“Irish teams sometimes went to Paris with high hopes, sometimes not, but always came off second best.

“But it’s got to the stage now where we believe we can go over there and win. Now we need to actually do it.

“We talk about us being a more confident team than any other Irish side.

“We’ve always taken talented teams to Paris but now we’re going there with a Grand Slam. You can’t argue with that.

“We had an okay autumn, the results were good, so we’re going over there in a better position than ever before.”

France have proved the scourge of Ireland’s tournament aspirations throughout the last 10 years, home and away.

In an overall table heading into this year’s Six Nations, Ireland share first place with their rivals with 36 victories in 50 matches yet have one solitary title compared to France’s four.

That disparity is partially explained by a wretched record of three wins in 11 matches against Les Bleus, which has seen them fall agonisingly short despite repeatedly challenging for the title.

Such consistency since the start of the Six Nations in 2000 has unfortunately extended to their record in Paris, creating an inferiority complex that O’Connell claims has now been shed.

“It’s hard to say why it’s been so difficult for us to win in Paris but this is as good a team as we’ve ever gone over there with,” he said.

“France have a massive pool of players and they’ve been incredibly physical and aggressive at home.

“Psychologically, going to France has been tough for Irish teams but probably since 2000 the lads have been breaking that down.

“Paris is a tough place to go because they’re incredibly physical and aggressive when you play them there.”

France continue to be erratic under head coach Marc Lievremont, capable of transforming from unstoppable world-beaters to a rabble in the space of a week.

O’Connell believes it is their refusal to be restricted by a precise gameplan that makes them so unpredictable.

“France are very hard to defend against when they get into a rhythm, offloading and keeping the ball off the ground,” he said.

“Defences these days are very prepared for what opponents are going to do, but France’s off-loading game makes them an incredibly hard team to contain.

“Structurally their attack goes out the window. Once they’ve offloaded and broken you, it becomes a scramble defence and that’s when it comes down to work-rate and desire.

“You have to expect the unexpected and then react to it. That’s what we did last year against France a few times.

“You can’t panic when they do open you up, because it will happen. You have to keep a cool head and make sure you don’t concede seven points.

“Every team in the northern hemisphere needs to bring more offloading into their game.”