The players can prepare in a good head space over the next week - the same can't be said for Wales

Allowing Murray dictate the pace and field position through his box-kicks was crucial

John O’Sullivan analyses the good, bad and indifferent from a tight victory in Dublin

Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton help Joe Schmidt’s side control full-on encounter

What Joe Schmidt’s side will face at the Avivia Stadium

Prop Rabah Slimani, flanker Bernard Le Roux and wing Yoann Huget come in

France will take Ireland to a dark place, but a high enough tempo game should see us prevail

Schmidt: ‘Hopefully, after today, they’ll appreciate they can live up to these big matches’

Les Bleus win arm-wrestle with Vern Cotter’s side after late Camille Lopez penalties

Physical French side proved a tough hurdle before Eddie Jones emptied his bench

Clermont Auvergne take two bonus points back to France after nine-try thriller

O’Mahony suffered knee ligament damage against France, Paul O’Connell also expected to be ruled out

Rob Kearney and Conor Murray tries set up a maiden World Cup win over Les Bleus

Sexton and O’Connell departures fail to halt unstoppable Irish momentum

Freddy Michalak has become a leader and the French pack looks increasingly formidable

Modern side a more practical version of the teams that lit up previous World Cups

Thierry Dusautoir insists Canada game is not just ‘dress rehearsal’ for Ireland match

Louis Picamoles rested as boss Philippe Saint-André makes four changes

Italian indiscipline ensured the result was never in doubt at Twickenham

‘We are ready to enter the competition. The guys are fit, they’ve been living like in a club’