FRANCE WILL NOT TROUBLE US IN OPENER

IRELAND will be too disciplined and organised for France in the Six Nations opener and Ronan O’gara will be stunned if they don’t win.

Still, it promises to be a difficult start despite the question marks hanging over Les Blues’ state of well-being.

Coach Guy Noves is under fire after just seven wins in 21 matches and French rugby president Bernard Laporte could wield the axe.

A decision is expected next week although the suspicion is that Noves will earn a stay of execution.

From his time as a coach with Racing 92, O’gara is well placed to offer insight into the French mindset.

“The fascinating thing about the French is that they don’t need a game to change the mood,” he said. “Every other team needs to find form but with the French they can find form from their mood.

“If you look at their squad from November they were crippled by injuries to Fickou, Lamerat, Fofana and Doumayru. They have a lot of players that were missing but you would like to think Ireland will be too disciplined and organised for them.”

O’gara will join Shane Horgan, Shane Jennings, Alan Quinlan and Matt Williams as pundits on TV3’S Six Nations coverage, where Newstalk’s Joe Molloy will anchor (above.

But it will mean flying back from New Zealand where he is taking up a coaching role with Crusaders.

O’gara is moving there on December 28 and will return on February 2.