O'Driscoll eyeing Six Nations history

Captain Brian O'Driscoll is adamant Ireland can become the first team in Six Nations history to win back-to-back Grand Slams - despite having to play France in their own back yard.

Under Declan Kidney Ireland won the Grand Slam for the first time since 1948 last year however they are currently behind France in the odds to repeat the trick.

Kidney’s troops face a daunting trip to the Stade de France on February 13 – one of just two games on the road this year – in what could be a defining fixture in their bid to make history.

No team has won two Grand Slams in a row since the Five Nations became the Six Nations in 2000 but O’Driscoll insists not even France will stop them becoming the first.

“You hope it will be your time again, you get selfish after attaining a goal, you get a taste for it,” said O’Driscoll. “But it doesn’t mean your ambition isn’t still there – in fact it’s heightened.

“We know you don’t retain anything in this tournament. You give it back and try to win it again and that is exactly the way we are looking at it.

“If you are better than France this year you won’t be far away for they are strong. Marc Lievremont has changed the team a huge amount and they were very strong against South Africa.

“Back-to-back Grand Slams is all new ground to me I just go with the flow. But as a team we won’t look at things any differently and we won’t treat it any differently.”