The coach did admit that O’Driscoll, on his way back from a shoulder injury, was a bit ring rusty in the first of the week’s training sessions on Monday. However, he is confident that, after another run out in Greystones, County Wicklow yesterday, the hat trick hero of Paris last season will be back at his best.

“We knew that he was bound to be a small bit off the pace at the start of this week but he has settled back into it pretty well. It was much the same with Denis but they are quality players and I don’t think we will have a problem with them. It’s just nice to have them back.”

Assistant coach Eddie O’Sullivan was also enthusiastic: “Brian O’Driscoll is both a play maker and a game breaker on his day but I would also say Denis has pace that could best be described as world class. It is impossible to fully replace a player of his quality and I would stress the point that very few people in the game today could have set up a try of the quality he did for Tyrone Howe against South Africa in November.”

O’Sullivan, the backs expert, also had words of praise for Ronan O’Gara who, he said, had matured nicely since he made his Six Nations debut last season.

“From my point of view, the most encouraging sign of his progress is the fact that he is now able to work his way through and overcome difficult periods during the game. I think he showed that in ample measure against Italy.”

Gatland, meanwhile, is relieved that his side were able to re group following the Rome game.

“I think the preparations are much better than we had against Italy. Because Munster were involved in a European Cup game on the Sunday prior to the Italian game and the fact that we spent a long day travelling meant our preparations were restricted.

Gatland’s major worry is the fact that France are unpredictable. “They won a very good Test match against New Zealand in the Autumn and then didn’t play very well against Scotland but they are a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde type team and even against Scotland they looked very dangerous when they managed to string together moves into the fourth and fifth phases of particular movements.”

The coach is looking forward to returning to Lansdowne Road for the first time in three months following Ireland’s unfortunate defeat by South Africa.

“We had a tough opening game against Italy and now it will be nice to get back home, to soak in the atmosphere and, hopefully, to get the best out of the side in front of our own supporters. There is a very special atmosphere in that ground and I have no doubt that it will be more suitable for the players.”

*Yesterday, the IRFU announced an extension of its contract with Club Tricot, which has outlets in Dublin and Blarney, Co Cork, as the official clothing supplier to the Committee of the Union and all Irish representative teams.

IRELAND: G. Dempsey (Terenure), D. Hickie (St. Mary’s), B. O’Driscoll (Blackrock), R. Henderson (Wasps), T. Howe (Dungannon), R. O’Gara (Cork Constitution), P. Stringer (Shannon), P. Clohessy (Young Munster), K. Wood (Harlequins) captain; J. Hayes (Shannon), M. Galwey (Shannon), M. O’Kelly (St. Mary’s), A. Quinlan (Shannon), A. Foley (Shannon), D. Wallace (Garryowen).

Replacements: F. Sheahan (Cork Constitution), E. Byrne (St. Mary’s), G. Longwell (Ballymena), A. Ward (Ballynahinch), B. O’Meara (Cork Constitution), D. Humphreys (Dungannon), K. Maggs (Bath).