Jack Conan: Marseille just a stepping stone for Ireland

The expectation is that the Azzurri will be accounted for while the quality of Ireland’s performance, and the historic nature of the scoreline, were such that last week’s opener is not the sort of occasion to be parked with a clichéd ‘next game’ focus.

Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

We’re seven days removed from Marseille and just two out from Ireland’s second Six Nations tie, against Italy in Dublin. Convention would have it that the narrative should have dispensed with France by now and shunted forward.

Forgive us another backward glance then.