DUBLIN - Ireland host France at Lansdowne Road on Saturday in one of the most eagerly awaited Six Nations clashes of recent years pitching the top two world-ranked teams against each other.
Number one Ireland are seeking a record 13th successive home win against second-ranked France, who were the last team to beat the hosts at Lansdowne Road, in February 2021.
France achieved the Grand Slam last year and are bidding for a national record-extending 15th consecutive Test win.
They are the only top-tier side Irish head coach Andy Farrell is yet to beat since he took over at the helm after the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Both teams will wish to be on the right side of referee Wayne Barnes. Although they won their opening matches -- Ireland thumping Wales 34-10 and France seeing off a resilient Italy 29-24 -- they kept the officials busy.
The Irish largely went through their bad patch when they were comfortably ahead so could put it down to losing focus.
"You know when a referee says he loves a free-flowing game and we don't want to see penalties, well the game has rules for a reason and they're there to be refereed," said Farrell.
"We hope that we will be as disciplined as we possibly can be so therefore we expect the game to be refereed accordingly."
The French have taken their unusually ill-disciplined performance on the chin although backrow forward Gregory Alldritt says there should be no repeat.
"It's tough but fair and we have to raise our level," he said.
"This was a bit like our crash test. We know it, no more excuses."