The Ireland flanker is looking forward to his debut at the Stade de France, writes GAVIN CUMMISKEY

“He (Dusautoir) is one of the best out there – really showed what he can do in the World Cup final. He’s such a consistent performer. He’s a hard fella, tough man to get down when he carries. He goes around just smashing lads

GREAT NEWS folks, Seánie O’Brien (right) is none too pleased with last Sunday’s goings on. Listening to him yesterday, we get the feeling some French boys will be blamed.

O’Brien’s never played at Stade de France and doesn’t have any interest in getting off to a losing start. And he couldn’t care less about the predicted minus seven degree forecast either.

Sure, he’s farmed in far worse conditions when it’s not so easy to keep the blood flowing to fingers and toes.

“It was minus 15 last year at home. Na, it will be different playing at those temperatures but it shouldn’t affect us. We’ll be nice and warm in the forwards, I don’t know about some of those outside backs.

“We’ve to stick to our game plan and the weather shouldn’t take from that, so long as it’s not spilling rain.

“Just something we have to adapt to.”

Not that he minds the rain. Makes it tougher to stall his charges . Anyway, defeat to Wales has him in bad form. Not happy. Not one bit.

“There is a little bit of bite to (training) and lads are getting on to each other about standards and stuff. That’s good. The right attitude is there this week.”

They say Ireland must contain the French flair in the opening 20 minutes to have any chance but O’Brien doesn’t go for that lark.

“If you try and contain France they are going to destroy you. Simple as that. We really have to go after them from the word go, put them under pressure and play in the right areas of the field.

“You have to be smart.”

Defence is going to be a massive part of it this weekend.

“Last weekend we sat back on our heels a bit much and gave up too many easy yards.

“You have to take space away from these lads and they are a big, physical team as well.

“We have to get up in their faces and shut them down at source.”

The legend is constantly growing around this hardest of midland sons. David Walsh recounted a good story in the Sunday Times about O’Brien out shooting near his native Tullow.

He clipped a duck, only to see it plunge into an icy lake. His retriever had no interest in fetching so Seánie lost the pants, socks and wellies to wade in himself. Dinner is dinner.

He also expressed a desire to eventually play Towns Cup for his beloved club. We first saw him as forwards coach, still only 21, when Tullow reached the 2008 final, losing to a Kiwi-stacked Navan.

“Ah, it can’t happen until I’m finished, if I’m able to play when I’m finished. It’s always something I said I’d like to do, I never played a cup match with them. It’s a big thing down there.”

So too are Ireland matches now their man is patrolling the flank.

Paris has been a graveyard for Irish backrowers in the past. Declan Kidney yesterday name-checked the recently departed Colm Tucker, who won his third and final cap off the bench in the 1980 one-point loss (although Tucker did play two Lions Tests that summer).

A first run out in Paris against what is arguably the best backrow in the world in Thierry Dusautoir, Louis Picamoles and Imanol Harinordoquy doesn’t worry Ireland’s current number seven.

“He (Dusautoir) is one of the best out there – really showed what he can do in the World Cup final. He’s such a consistent performer. He’s a hard fella, tough man to get down when he carries. He goes around just smashing lads. That’s what he’s done year in year out.

“Around the ruck he is so strong when he gets in over the ball. I’ll have to keep an eye on him and target him when I get an opportunity.”

Dusautoir is a stated target. Lovely. No arrogance behind the words, just truth.