Six Nations Ireland v FranceIreland skipper Brian O'Driscoll has warned time is running out for his golden generation to turn their potential into silverware.

The Triple Crown holders began the Six Nations with arguably the most talented squad in Irish rugby history but O'Driscoll realises that will count for little without a championship title to show for it.

"We don't want to be nearly men - we want something tangible as evidence of our improvement," said the Leinster skipper, who has led Ireland to successive second-place finishes in the last two tournaments.

"We must improve on winning four out of five games so that in the future we can look back and say we won the championship.

"I don't think we've quite reached our potential yet but we have been building for a number of years.

"We have a large number of caps in the side and we must capitalise on using that experience.

"Some of the guys are getting to the end of their careers so we have to make hay while the sun shines."

Ireland remain on course for only their second clean sweep but France and Wales - their opponents over the next 10 days - are expected to provide tough assignments.

They entered the championship as favourites but Wales now appear to have taken on that mantle with a potential Grand Slam decider looming in Cardiff on March 19th.

Doubts linger over Ireland's ability to deal with the pressure which accompanies their status as title contenders but victory in Saturday's match with France would ease concerns over their temperament.

"There is always going to be more pressure when you start winning - that's natural. The level of expectation from the Irish public has heightened but the players' expectation has also risen," said O'Driscoll.

"Of course nerves will come into it but dealing with those is part of the process of improving as a player and a team. The great teams perform as if that pressure isn't there.

"France are a huge challenge for us but we can beat them if we play to the best of our ability. We are level pegging with them and I think the side with the greater will to win will come through it."

Gordon D'Arcy's troublesome hamstring has prevented the Leinster star from playing once again - he has seen just over 30 minutes of Six Nations action this year - but Ireland still bristle with attacking options.

Fullback Geordan Murphy looks more like a Test Lion every match while Denis Hickie still retains all his predatory instincts, but the undisputed star of the Irish back line is O'Driscoll himself.

He has developed into the complete centre and although the 26-year-old suggests otherwise, he is sure to be singled out for special attention from France who are well aware of the damage he can do.

He said: "I will be treated with the same respect as everyone else, if not they will be in trouble because we have some very potent finishers in our three-quarters.

"We have to be patient and sometimes we may go backwards but we have to work through the phases and look to create mis-matches."

France coach Bernard Laporte yesterday backed Andy Robinson in his criticism of referee Jonathan Kaplan. Robinson was "livid" immediately after England's defeat in Dublin and later claimed that Kaplan had "only refereed one side".

"I entirely agree with Andy Robinson. You can safely say that the referees are not good and that day Kaplan was not good. That does happen," said Laporte.