O'Connell won't take record against France for granted

7msports > Rugby Video > O'Connell won't take record against France for granted

Sunday, October 11 2015 by SNTV

Script:

SOUNDBITE (English) Paul O'Connell, Ireland captain and lock:
(On the physical challenge presented by France)

"I think, whether France said it or not, there was always going to be a physical challenge this weekend. They're a big side, they're massive big, strong athletes - bigger than us. That's what teams do when they play Ireland. That's what South Africa do as well, when they play Ireland. It'll probably make sense when you're bigger. They're not just bigger, they obviously have incredible players as well with fantastic talent and skill, so the challenge is massive for us."

SOUNDBITE (English) Paul O'Connell, Ireland captain and lock:
(Question - Are you going into this match thinking about avoiding New Zealand in the quarter-finals?)

"That's not what I'm thinking. I think the match is too close to think of anything beyond that, and I think it's been a philosophy of ours since day one, and everyone in here will probably put their pens down because I'll say the exact same thing that I say every press conference, we don't get too far ahead of ourselves. It's a philosophy that Joe (Schmidt, head coach), that Jason Cowman, our conditioning coach, in particular, preaches a lot. A big focus for us is just the start of the game tomorrow. Anything else beyond that is irrelevant to us, we'll deal with that when it comes."
SOUNDBITE (English) Paul O'Connell, Ireland captain and lock:

(Question - You haven't lost to France in over four years, so are you confident?)

"So these moments, the next 24 hours before the kick-off are always the tough time because the doubts are there and the fear is there, so I wouldn't say confident of the result but confident of a performance, I think."