Ireland captain Caelan Doris says it is important for his side to make a winning start to their Six Nations campaign when they go up against defending champions France in Paris next week.
The two countries, who have each won the Six Nations title twice in the last four editions, clash at the Stade de France on Thursday, 5 February, in the opening game of the 2026 tournament. The match, brought forward by 24 hours so as not to clash with the Winter Olympics opening ceremony, pits two teams expected to stage another strong bid for the title.
“Momentum is big in this competition,” Doris said at a launch event for the Six Nations in Edinburgh on Monday.
“The way you start sets you up well, or not so well, depending on how it goes, so there is going to be a big focus on a proper performance to start us off."
Doris said the team were off on Monday to Portugal for a training camp before heading to Paris early next week.
"So it's a short turnaround, not a whole lot of time, but it definitely sharpens the mind and it's one to get excited about,” he added.
France won last season’s title despite talismanic captain Antoine Dupont suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury during the 42–27 victory over Ireland in Dublin in March, which ruled him out for the rest of the season. He has returned to action and will captain France again this season.
“In any team, there are certain kinds of individuals that you home in on,” said Doris of the threat posed by Dupont’s skills.
“You're aware of their strengths and weaknesses, and what makes them tick. Obviously, when it comes to France, you look at guys like him, and kind of look for tendencies and ways to negate their threat as best as possible, which can be challenging.
“It's about getting the balance right between focusing on yourselves and being aware of what the opposition will bring,” the Irish captain added.