Liam Toland's analysis: Around the ankles, that's the plan. Last September, Ireland made 133 tackles in losing to France 25 points to 3, where Argentina made 237 in defeating the French 17-12.
But the French managed a monstrous 275 in Cardiff against the All Blacks. To put all that in perspective, Ireland made just 72 tackles against Italy last Saturday. They must triple that number. But it's not simply tackle counts that count; the style of tackle is all important.
Ireland need to stop the offload and momentum of the French. This can be done, with great difficulty, by double-teaming the ball carrier and risking space creation or, more courageously, by diving at the ankles of the French and stopping them dead. The dive tackle creates rucks, and what have we discovered about rucks? When defended as the Georgians and Italians do, they slow down the flow of ball. This is critical.
Where the Argentinians revamped the Garryowen the French have revamped the improvised maul. Several times last weekend the French elected to maul in open play rather than go to ground.
This has three enormous advantages: you keep control of the ball; you draw in defenders that would be better utilised in the line defence; and you maintain space for the electric back three. Under no circumstances can Ireland allow these mauls to develop. Once again the solution is the style of tackle: around the ankles.
There is a clear improvement in the French selection for today. Worryingly, all the dead weight has been culled since our RWC fixture last September. Nonetheless, it's from last year's RWC opener that most can be gleaned. Marcelo Loffreda's tactics that night were simple: tackle low and put enormous pressure on those who will crack.
Let's swot France's weaknesses.
Their coach, Marc Lièvremont, a man I've had the pleasure of marking in the Heineken European Cup, first against Biarritz and then Stade Français, is extraordinarily inexperienced in his new role. This is their first weakness.
Can you recall Brian Ashton's face in Twickenham last Saturday? That's pressure.
Eddie O'Sullivan's head gasket is well tuned to pressure, for his mantra "always win the war before the battle starts" should be a warning to Lièvremont today. The French coach looked pretty in the stand last Sunday watching all his plans fall neatly into place. How will he react to real pressure?
In order to attack him you first must be clear where to attack his team.
Their lineout leans heavily on their number seven, Fulgence Ouedraogo. Bearing in mind his one cap, huge pressure should be placed on him, particularly on the French quality of lift and lineout space. The Ireland players need to violently attack the lifters. Ireland's defensive maul must be an all-eight affair. As for Lionel Nallet, a Mick Galwey-type secondrow, inspirational and a big bruiser but not the athletic lineout man in the mould of our three today, they must get in the air at every lineout.
Each lineout counts more than ever as France will not offer too many, the Scots had only 13 last weekend.
Scotland failed to consistently ask questions of the French style. Much has been made of the French choosing not to kick in the opening 10 minutes. This should be mouth-watering for all in green. David Skrela, the main controller at 10, and the child at 21, François Trinh-Duc, have potential but both have temperament issues, particularly Trinh-Duc, who received a red card playing against Connacht last December for a dangerous tackle. Like Frédéric Michalak, he will crack given the correct attention.
Which brings me to last Monday's article. David Wallace is an extraordinarily talented backrower, but he is given the impossible task of playing three positions at once. Today he needs to prioritise his work, starting with Skrela, using an orthodox defensive line with him solely in front targeting their 10.
Finally, for all their strengths and wonderful play, it is a godsend France beat Scotland so well last weekend. The sight of Jean-Baptiste Elissalde and co lounging on the sideline long before the final whistle is telling. Could you imagine a cornered France in Paris?
Once again I'm delighted for Bernard Jackman, for his is a truly remarkable story. It is critical to point out the selection of Jackman, Heaslip and Kearney is justified by virtue of their form. However, it is even more important that all watching today do not expect them to turn the tide. They deserve to play but they alone will not be the saviours of Ireland, for the Leinster trio boast just 11 caps between them and all three will be making their full Six Nations debuts.
With them in mind, I can't help feeling for Leo Cullen, whose arrival back into Leinster has resulted in three of his team starting, scant consolation as he has contributed most to the success of 2, 5 and 8 today.
I'm confident that the hours down in Old Belvedere pegging the ball to O'Kelly and Heaslip will count.
I too am looking forward to watching the new-shaped backrow today. However, I also can't help thinking what Anthony Foley's leadership would bring to the fixture.
If the Italian captain and number eight, Sergio Parisse, was my pick from last Saturday then watch out for the "Dark Destroyer", Thierry Dusautoir, whose 38 tackles against New Zealand in the famous RWC match last October was a French record. He has everything and watch how close he remains to the ball.
As for my last experience of La Marseillaise, it was playing for the Irish Defence Forces against the French Military in Toulouse. I knew I was in for a long day when I cast my eye down the line during the anthem to notice both French secondrows in floods of tears. Confirmation came quickly when our outhalf "Mick the Kick" issued his first instruction:. "Skip me."
Footnote: Wasn't it great to hear Brian Moore fall silent during last week's Welsh revolution?
