YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Oval Talk

    Six Nations statistics: Ireland’s poor record against France

    O'Connell: Errors key to outcomeIreland captain Paul O'Connell believes restricting the error count holds the key to dispatching France in the rearranged Six Nations clash in Paris on Sunday.

    The title rivals meet after the original game was postponed three weeks ago due to a frozen pitch.

    O'Connell has lost on all five visits to the Stade de France and painful experience has taught him that the Irish are usually the architects of their own downfall.

    "We've given them soft tries in my time since I've been there," the Munster and Lions lock said. "That's been the most common theme and you just can't do that in Paris.

    "We've certainly played some good rugby there, but usually after we've left ourselves with too big a mountain to climb. Maybe we've tried a little bit too hard in the past.

    "In the first half-hour against Italy last weekend it wasn't a great performance, but we were patient. Against France we must play in the right parts of the pitch.

    "A big part of it for us will be eradicating those errors that can cost you momentum. You have to take you best game over there.

    "If we play to our potential we can beat anyone, but reaching that level is the challenge."

    Stats for the match

    About Oval Talk

    Rugby has to fight for its voice in the football-obsessed world of British sport, but thankfully there are enough fans of the oval ball to warrant a weekly look at issues affecting the game. Oval Talk cannot promise the same level of scurrilous tittle-tattle and unfounded rumour that emerges daily from football columns, but - casting off its Barbour and adopting the refreshing candour of an Aussie commentator – it can bring you the kind of debate that would have had old farts at HQ spluttering into their Fullers.

    POLL

    Did Jonny Wilkinson deserve to win European Player of the Year?

    Loading...
    Poll Choice Options

    FANTASY FOOTBALL

    • Free To Join
      Free To Join

      Think you can do better than Fergie or Mancini? Sign up now and pick your winning team. More »