Fast start and maintaining fitness the key for Ireland against France | Brendan Fanning

Joe Schmidt’s Ireland have had a day less than France to prepare for Saturday’s match in Paris and cannot afford to be chasing the game in the final quarter as they did against WalesIt would hardly be unique for Ireland to be chasing a good start in any game in Paris, but never before has it seemed so important. The key themes at what will be a dank Stade de France are the level of pressure on the home side after an ordinary start against Italy last weekend, and Ireland’s capacity to compete with a day less to prepare.For much of the final quarter in the Aviva last Sunday it was hard not to lo…