VIVA AVIVA

Stu acknowledges importance of home stadium to Ireland but says Wales won’t be pushovers

STUART LANCASTER is a rarity – a head coach that knows what it’s like to beat Ireland on their own patch in the Six Nations.

But the former England supremo turned Leinster tactician puts that 12-6 Red Rose success five years ago down to a baby boom.

And he understands why the men in green are unbeaten at home in 10 championship games under Joe Schmidt.

That record is about to get tested again by Wales, who drew with Ireland in the sides’ last clash at the Aviva Stadium two years ago.

“I was lucky,” smiled Lancaster. “I think Brian O’driscoll’s wife had given birth that morning so we caught him on a quiet day! There’s a huge confidence that the Irish players have from playing at the Aviva, they’ve had a lot of success there and a lot of memories.

“That drives standards, expectation and the desire to want to win. They’re very difficult to beat but to be a champion team you’ve got to win at home and away. It shows the mark of the team – the maturity of the Irish team

– that without playing brilliantly against

France they found a way to win. They deserved it really.

“To do what they did with the culmination of the Johnny

Sexton drop goal was exceptional really and shows how far the squad has matured.

“All teams go through ups and downs, defeats and wins and Ireland have had one or two losses along the way but they look a very, very accomplished team at the moment.” Italy captain Sergio Parisse remarked after Ireland’s 56-19 win over the Azzurri that Schmidt’s side were better than England.

Wisely, Lancaster steered clear of predicting how that game will go if the sides are vying for the title at Twickenham on St Patrick’s Day.

The 45-year-old grinned: “Do you honestly think I’m going to comment on that, given the run-ins we used to have with both countries and all the players I’ve coached?

“I thought Ireland went well but I won’t go down there. It is too far away and that’s not me just batting it back. I think Ireland will 100% only have their focus on Wales.

“People underestimate how good Wales are defensively, how good they are in attack – you saw how well they played in the second half against England and on a dry day they can carve teams up.

“I don’t think England will be getting too far ahead of themselves either. They have to go to Scotland and win, to France and win, two difficult away games.

“But I thought Ireland played really well, it was definitely a step up at the weekend against Italy.”