France know they need to be better in all departments to take on high flying Irish

Team manager Raphael Ibanez: France and Ireland 'almost equal'. Picture: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Wary France are readying for an all-out Irish assault when the two autumn conquerors of the All Blacks meet in the Six Nations on Saturday.

Ireland climbed to third in the World Rugby rankings after their win over a poor Wales, while Les Bleus needed half an hour — and the jolt of conceding the first try — to take control of their match against a better-than-expected Italy a day later.