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Six Nations

'We can't run away thinking we're great just because we stole a couple of tries' - Declan Kidney

Ireland’s head coach isn’t getting carried away ahead of Paris.

IRELAND MANAGER DECLAN Kidney says a vast improvement is needed if Ireland are to get anything from Paris this weekend.

Kidney was glad to see a run of three defeats ended against Italy at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday as they secured a 42-10 win thanks to five tries from Tommy Bowe (2), Andrew Trimble, Keith Earls and Tom Court.

But he is keen not get carried away and believes that his team must step up another gear before the meeting with Philip Saint-Andre’s men, who claimed their second victory in this year’s tournament against Scotland yesterday, in the rescheduled fixture at the Stade de France.

“Some of the things we didn’t get right last time we got a bit better, while other things need continual work, but every team is a work in progress,” he said on the Six Nations website.

We were a bit better than against Wales but the margins are quite small. We took the opportunities that came our way. Against Wales, we didn’t take as many of them.

“You can’t let yourself get carried away with the scoreboard. Some days you could lose by five but be absolutely hammered, and other days you put up a good scoreline at the end, but after 70 minutes today it was only 30-10.

“We can’t run away thinking we’re great just because we stole a couple of tries in the last few minutes.

After travelling to France only to see the match called off at the last moment due to a frozen pitch, Ireland make another trip for Sunday’s game in the hope of recording a second win since 1972 and Kidney is under no illusions about the the size of the task which faces them.

“It was a good day and now we’re back in Paris which is always a singularly huge challenge,” he added.

“If we look beyond that, we’d already be half-beaten. We need to go there and give it a really good go. It will be another great occasion.”

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