Ireland centre Brian O'Driscoll believes it is imperative that they capitalise on their fine start in the Six Nations.
O'Driscoll put in a superb performance during his side's 30-22 win over Wales and wants them to build on that success during the rest of the tournament.
"It was a very physical game, real Six Nations stuff which you expect when you come to Cardiff," he said.
"We'd lost the last three to Wales and we just felt as though we needed to stop the rot.
"It's a great day, a good start for us in this Six Nations. It puts us in a good place with England to come next week.
"This Championship's about momentum. If you lose the first you're in trouble, if you win you're in a good spot. We have to build on this.
"The understanding from winning the Grand Slam in 2009 is that even when you're not great, you have to be good. Consistency will be the key for this Six Nations."
The veteran midfielder, who won him the official man-of-the-match award, sustained a head injury during the win over Wales but is confident of being fit for this weekend's clash against England in Dublin.
"The big thing is trying to be fit and getting as close to 100% fit as you possibly can when you take to the pitch," he revealed.
"It felt good today (Saturday), the ankles both felt good, and all the other bumps and bruises felt good so if you can start games that way, you've every chance of putting in a half decent performance.
"Today a few things ran for me and I managed to get across the try-line but it doesn't matter for anything if we didn't win the game.
"We won that and I'm delighted, like everyone else is."
Comments
Norm says...
99call
How did you bear up? I still think you should have spared yourself the pain and given me your ticket!
Posted 23:18 04th February 2013
rugby_rockstar says...
Sign me up too to the Brian O'Driscoll appreciation club. I'll even get to cheer him on come June and July.
Posted 14:30 04th February 2013
DaveJ says...
How BOD has never won the IRB player of the year at all is an absolute sham, let alone in 2009.
Posted 13:58 04th February 2013
campesebaba says...
The finest 13 to ever play the game Timmy Horan thinks so and he ought to know a thing or two about it winner of two world cups .
Posted 12:08 04th February 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
He is a legend. Statistics put another legend McCaw way out ahead. Being an All Black and a Crusader and McCaw gives him the statistics. But BOD and McCaw are even as far as I am concerned. Both make the all time world 15.
Posted 12:04 04th February 2013
99call says...
This guy has to ranked as one of the best to ever play the game, the physical batterings he takes would send any other 30 something running for the changing room
I was at the game and one part that sticks in my head was I could see Ian Evans ruinning at the our line the next thing you could see his body shudder as he was met head on, now Evans is no small boy and I thought Healy or OBrien had hit him but then I saw BOD get up from the tackle, now to tackle a rampaging 2nd row is hard enough but to stop one in their tracks is hard enough for a forward never mind a centre and never mind a 34 year old centre
In BOD we trust
Posted 09:15 04th February 2013