O'Driscoll says Ireland cannot afford a slow start against Wales

Ireland are being tipped to end their 59-year wait for a second Grand Slam this season but they face a tough opener at the Millennium Stadium.

"It could all go disastrously wrong if we don't win the match," said the Ireland captain.

"I anticipate it being a real ding-dong match and not a lot between the teams."

O'Driscoll says that the prospect of facing the Welsh in Cardiff means the Irish are going to have to be at their best right from the start in this year's Six Nations.

"We realise how hard Wales have been to beat in Cardiff over the last few years.

SIX NATIONS BLOG Cardiff proved a great fillip for the Irish in the 1990s when their form was up and down like Nigel Kennedy's elbow after Aston Villa had scored BBC Northern Ireland Sport's Jim Stokes More on our Six Nations blog

"You can't leave it behind against Wales for the first 10 or 15 minutes.

"You have to start on that first whistle because they will get out of the blocks quickly and we have to match them."

O'Driscoll believes that Wales will be "quietly confident" of beating the Championship favourites.

"No-one is talking them up and all the attention has been on ourselves, but they will have high expectations.

"Two years ago they managed to win the Slam with the fixtures the way they have fallen this year. I think that makes them even more dangerous."

Resounding autumn victories over South Africa and Australia have made Ireland the prized scalp of this year's Six Nations.

They were rated favourites for both matches and thrived under the pressure but the last time they were backed to win the Six Nations they were dispatched by France and Wales on consecutive weekends.