Mike Ross admits Ireland must respond positively to the Paris 'bear-pit' or find themselves on the wrong end of a heavy defeat.
Prop urges team-mates to keep alive Six Nations hopes in Paris
Prop Mike Ross admits Ireland must respond positively to the "bear-pit" atmosphere of the Stade de France this weekend or find themselves on the wrong end of a heavy defeat.
Ross was part of the Ireland team that fell to an agonising 23-21 home defeat to Wales last Sunday and knows they must now produce a victory in the French capital or see their RBS Six Nations hopes come to a very premature end.
Declan Kidney's men were given a boost ahead of their trip to Paris when Stephen Ferris avoided a ban after being cleared of a dangerous tip-tackle on Ian Jones.
That means the Ulster flanker will be available for selection, while centre Keith Earls is also back in contention having rejoined the squad after his new-born baby daughter was discharged from hospital.
But Ross acknowledges the team will have to produce a much-improved performance from their display against Wales if they are to secure only their second win in Paris since 1972.
"We're pretty disappointed with the way Sunday's game turned out," he said.
Put things right
"We've resolved this week to put right a lot of the things that went wrong. We need to step up and start delivering.
"Losing the way we did was hard to take, but in rugby you can't dwell upon previous failure for too long because the next game arrives so quickly.
"We have an opportunity to rectify what went wrong and that's something we're keen to do.
"Paris can be bit of a bear-pit and we can't afford to be off our game or we'll face a hiding.
"Just like in the Heineken Cup, French teams seem to step it up 15-20 percent when they play at home.
"The Stade de France is a tough place to go and we're under no illusion of what faces us. If we get it wrong, we're in for a long evening.
"If we lose on Saturday then it's fair to say the championship is gone.
"I can't see a team losing two matches but winning the Six Nations. A clearer picture will emerge after this weekend."
