O’Brien looking for fast Six Nations start

Ireland flanker Sean O’Brien is confident that they have learned the lessons from last season when the team begins their Six Nations campaign next month.

Joe Schmidt’s men will face France in Paris on February 3, a year after their 2017 hopes suffered a blow following a defeat to Scotland.

They succumbed 27-22 at Murrayfield and O’Brien is determined not to make the same mistakes again when Ireland take on Les Bleus next month.

He told the Irish Mirror: “We should be beating them if we want to go places. You know we have to start well – we know from last year what happens if you don’t start well.

“So we’ve learnings from that. We’ll make sure we hit the ground running. You’d expect us to be in a good place. We’re picking from a stronger squad again, it’s building nicely and there are younger guys coming in who will add value.”

France have replaced Guy Noves with Jacques Brunel as head coach for the start of the Six Nations and O’Brien admits that he is not sure what to expect.

“You don’t know if they’re going to put a bit of structure on things or will stay unpredictable,” he said. “What are you going to get? You know you’re going to get physicality and big boys running at you.”

Ireland’s biggest challenge for the Six Nations title will probably come from two-time defending champions England, but the 30-year-old does not believe there is a clear favourite.

“I don’t think there’s much in any of the international teams,” O’Brien added. “Some of the games we lost last year were our own fault. The first one (against Scotland), obviously.

“It’s fine margins. If you look at England, they ground out some wins but played well at times when they needed to. They’ve done the right things and probably evolved a little bit that way.

“They’ve been a consistent team, they’ve a big squad and he (head coach Eddie Jones) has them playing a style of rugby that everyone knows what’s going on. So, is there much between us? No.”