How times have changed. From 1983 to 2000, Ireland couldn't beat France at all. Then O'Driscoll arrived and things started to improve, but France were always our kryptonite. It was a mental thing.
France prevented an Irish championship win four times in the golden generation of Irish rugby of the 00s. We just couldn't cope with the French flair.
Then a number of things happened at once. Marc Lievremont took over as money started coming into the French club scene. At the same time, technology was evolving, and analysis was improving.
The game started to figure out the French and they haven't been able to recover. They started shipping losses, but Ireland still had a mental block only managing draws.
It took the arrival of Joe Schmidt to beat the French, and even then only by two nervy points. But the spell was broken. In the next two games against the French, Ireland were comfortable victors but seemed too happy with just beating the French.
Champion teams aren't happy with just beating bad teams. France are a bad team.
Just because we've only beaten France in Paris twice since 1972 should mean nothing. We weren't playing this awful French team every time.
The awful cliche gets pedalled "Which France will turn up?", but as Stephen Ferris proclaimed on the Racket on Friday - we know which France will turn up. They are entirely predictable and there for the taking.
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Ireland beat them without key players in the World Cup. This time, we're still missing players, and even though we'd prefer to see the likes of McCloskey involved, the Wolfhounds would still beat this French team. France would be better off putting out their U-20 team based on the performance in Narbonne on Friday.
The way France defended in their opening Six Nations fixture shows that they are there for the taking. Which makes it all the more frustrating that an attacking line-up of McCloskey, Henshaw and Payne as a 12-13-15 wasn't chosen to cut through the French midfield.
We need to stop putting teams on a pedestal, especially when they don't deserve it. France don't deserve it. They deserve to be put to the sword, and they should.
France shouldn't be favourites. Ireland will win, and win by at least ten.
If they don't, we have a right to be worried.
See Also: Stephen Ferris Is Seriously Critical Of Joe Schmidt's Team Selection For France
Picture credit: Matt Browne / SPORTSFILE
