Brian O’Driscoll insists that Ireland will need ‘extra firepower’ on the bench to combat the threat of France in this weekend’s huge Six Nations encounter.

In what will likely prove to be the tournament decider, both sides are weighing up the type of tactics that will best serve them on Saturday.

After Les Bleus surprisingly decided to go with a 7-1 split among the replacements in their 73-24 victory over Italy, debate has inevitably ignited as to whether they could do it again.

According to reports, Fabien Galthie may well keep the Springboks-inspired bench, leaving Ireland to ponder how they will counteract it.

Ireland’s traditional bench

The Irishmen have tended to go with the traditional 5-3 and have rarely opted for 6-2, but O’Driscoll believes that they need an extra forward in the squad.

Ireland’s legendary centre also reckons that, contrary to speculation, the French will not go for the 7-1.

“I think it will be a 6-2 and we’ll need to go 6-2 ourselves,” he predicted on Off The Ball.

O’Driscoll then added: “It just feels like a really, really nice amalgamation of different qualities that is going to make our game against them hopefully one for the ages.

“I think it’s who plays best on the day, it’s that simple, and whose key players stand up the most. Obviously, we saw [Antoine] Dupont having his first off-kilter performance against England.”

France to back Springboks’ Bomb Squad tactics despite its failure against Ireland

The theory over France’s bench was that they could afford to take the risk against Italy but, against Ireland, that jeopardy may just be too great.

That is what O’Driscoll believes, even though reports coming out of France suggest that Galthie is going to go for the 7-1.

“I think they probably knew that they could [against Italy]. I can’t see them going 7-1 against Ireland, I can’t see it. It’s a big risk, I think they always felt that if they needed to, they could play [Oscar] Jegou or they could play [Paul] Boudehent out in the centres against Italy and they would have too much firepower.

“I don’t think they will think that way against Ireland. I really would be surprised. I think it will be a 6-2 and we’ll need to go 6-2 ourselves.”

With France weighing up their tactics, it will therefore be interesting to see what Ireland do and whether they will feel the need to combat it.

Ireland’s lack of versatility

The issue for the hosts, should they go 6-2, will be getting the player who can cover enough positions in that 23 jersey.

With Garry Ringrose out, who has covered wing in the past, their remaining first choice backline players arguably do not have the versatility of the other Six Nations sides.

“The problem is that you obviously have to have a half-back, so you need Conor Murray plus one,” O’Driscoll added, before speculating who Simon Easterby could use for that role.

“Jack Crowley plays 15 but hasn’t played a huge amount of 12, although you imagine he could do that pretty comfortably.

“He covers a couple of those positions. You could shift Hugo Keenan to the wing if one of the wingers got injured and you could play Crowley at full-back.

“You can manage with Murray and Crowley, but I do think you’re going to need extra firepower up front, I really do.”

READ MORE: Loose Pass: Garry Ringrose saga stinks of ‘bias’ as ‘diving’ sadly creeps back into rugby

Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/brian-odriscoll-france-would-be-taking-big-risk-with-springboks-tactic-but-reveals-irelands-problem-in-combating-les-bleus