Dara Smith-Naughton

I'm also wearing shorts, but I'm actually quite cold.

It's...

I did this, I was in Portugal earlier this year, and I kind of just assume it's sunny all year round in France and Portugal, those type of countries.

It's actually quite cold.

So, let's get a move on here, lads.

I'm absolutely freezing.

This is a massive game for Ireland.

I suppose over the last couple of fixtures between these sides, Ireland have been left heartbroken.

Particularly that last outing at the World Cup has been built up as a bit of a revenge game, which the players have shot down this week.

But very much can be thought of as that, because obviously in that World Cup game, there was only a try between the teams, but...

A couple of decisions went against Ireland.

Obviously, there's the infamous incident between Aoife Wafer and Bartholomew, the French back row, where she allegedly bit her at the bottom of her ruck.

So, yeah, there's plenty to settle in this one.

I'd say they're around about the same place as they were to be honest because you know speaking to a few players going into the Six Nations whether it be in press conferences or just after press conferences and around the place they get the feeling of them that they're really targeted in this game they really really fancy themselves it seems that this week they've been told to not say as much because they've been talking a lot but

No, I think they absolutely have earmarked this fixture from the get-go.

And like, look, Quinny mentioned a lot of our strengths there as well.

Another one is the depth that they've built in the squad now.

It's something we've never really had or certainly haven't had over the last few years is options off the bench.

Like a player like Anna McGann, if you had asked me, would Anna McGann three games in the tournament hasn't started a game, I wouldn't have believed you because she's one of our best players.

back three options and she's coming off the bench in this game, as is Eve Higgins, who I would have thought was an absolute cert starter in the midfield as well.