Ireland legend Brian O'Driscoll has admitted that the defeat to England in their opening match of the Six Nations was a much-needed "reality check" ahead of this year's World Cup.
Ireland went into the tournament as defending Grand Slam champions and were favourites to win the trophy again before they suffered a 32-20 defeat in Dublin.
O'Driscoll now expects England to go on and win the competition - particularly if they beat Wales this weekend - and believes that Ireland will be best served using the rest of the tournament as an opportunity to prepare for the World Cup.
"It was a reality check, and potentially a bit of a blessing in disguise as well. The country tends to do either top of the tree or bottom of the barrel and it's good to be somewhere in the middle, which is where we are at the moment in terms of expectations," O'Driscoll told Sports Mole.
"It's a different sort of Six Nations for us now. Having lost the first game, particularly at home, it's an opportunity to maybe look at combinations a bit more. Knowing that the outcome of it is out of our hands - if England continue on their winning streak they're going to win the Grand Slam, and if they win this weekend then you'd imagine that they'd have too much to see the competition through - so I think it's about focusing on what's really important and that's about trying out those important combinations for later this year at the World Cup.
"I don't think they'll lose sight of the fact - they'll continue to try to win games and if they can give themselves a fighting chance going into the final weekend when it's all to play for then that will be an added bonus. But the way it's fallen, with England getting two bonus-point victories and Ireland getting nothing from the first game, it's not working in their favour. But there is no need to throw the towel in after two rounds of Six Nations.
"It is difficult to bounce back after losing the first game, but it's a team that isn't used to losing so they'll take that as a disappointing blow - particularly as it was England. But good sides don't become poor sides overnight. They've had an incredible 12 or 18 months and you'd imagine that if they are the side that everyone thinks they are that they'll bounce back and continue back on winning ways and be one of the ones to contest the World Cup later this year."
Ireland bounced back from the defeat to England by beating Scotland 22-13 in their second game.
Barney Corkhill
