Bernard Jackman says a confident Ireland must take the game to Wales this Saturday and believes the hosts could enjoy a distinct advantage in the front five.
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell named his side for the Guinness Six Nations opener at the Aviva Stadium, with Connacht's Mack Hansen to make his Test debut just seven months after moving from Australia in a team that contains 11 Leinster players.
Former Ireland and Leinster hooker believes the Irish front row of Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong, along with Tadhg Beirne, James Ryan packing down behind them, could offer the launchpad for victory.
"The area we need to target is the front five. Even though they have Adam Beard, I’m not sure Will Rowlands is a top end international lock," he told RTÉ’s Game On.
"Ryan Elias (hooker) wouldn’t be as good as Ken Owens. Tomas Francis’ form isn’t as good as when he was at Exeter Chiefs and while Wyn Jones is a British and Irish Lion, I think Ireland’s front five, collectively, have to do a number on them."
Welsh coach Wayne Pivac has named six Lions in his starting team for Saturday, but the pack is looking shorn of experience with the absence of Owens and Wyn Jones among others.
With a full capacity crowd back at Lansdowne Road and the men in green buoyed by a successful Autumn series, Jackman says Farrell’s team can kick on.
"Ireland has cohesion from so many Leinster players, confidence and momentum from November and the provinces. I think they really have to go after Wales.
"Go after them might not run up a score, but it’s setting down that marker in terms of, 'we’re ready to play, we are confident and believe in what we are doling’ and make them question whether they’re in a good place."
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Follow all of Ireland's Six Nations games via our live blogs on rte.ie/sport and on the RTÉ News App or listen to live radio coverage on RTÉ Radio 1. Watch live TV coverage of Ireland v Wales (5 February, 2.15pm) and England v Ireland (12 March, 4.45pm) on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player.
