The China Mail - O'Mahony expects a tough battle with 'proud' Welsh

The Irish are red hot favourites to win a record-equalling 11th straight Six Nations Test after posting two impressive victories against France and Italy.

An inexperienced Welsh side, who are in the process of rebuilding after several key players retired post the Rugby World Cup, arrive following two narrow losses to Scotland and England.

The challenge they have to surmount is ever more tough in that the Irish have lost just two home Tests in the last 40 and are on a streak of 17 successive victories at Lansdowne Road.

O'Mahony, though, says the Welsh players are a different beast when they pull on the red shirt as he has found from bitter experience.

"I think a banana skin is a disrespectful term for this Welsh team," said O'Mahony at his eve-of-match press conference.

"I've learnt the hard way a good few times, these people are very, very proud.

"They grow massively when they put on that Welsh shirt, you know they are a different animal, a different team.

"I've been on the receiving end of some heavy losses to these guys a few times.

"They play big when they're in the jersey. They do, they play big, and that's what we're 100 percent expecting tomorrow."

- 'Can't drop the ball' -

Wales head coach Warren Gatland has said that his team's goal is to cause chaos and knock some individuals "off their perch".

O'Mahony, who resumes being captain after missing the 36-0 hammering of Italy due to a calf muscle injury, said it was logical that that should be their aim.

"Look, that’s the game, isn't it? We have a good record, we are playing well," he said.

"We have spoken about it and we have a target on us but that comes with the territory and you have to be cool with that and that you are going to get the best of every team.

"We know when we're good that we're going to put teams under pressure and other teams know that now as well."

O'Mahony will make his 50th Six Nations appearance on Saturday -- he made his tournament debut against Italy in 2012, coincidentally the last time the Welsh won a Six Nations match in Dublin.

However, the grizzled flanker brushed the landmark aside.

"You will probably say I am a broken record but any time you get picked for Ireland is going to be special, no matter what jersey you are in," he said.

"Be it your first, second, 99th, 110th. They are really important and incredibly special and tomorrow is no different for me.

"It is an incredible honour to get the opportunity to put on that jersey and play for your country and you have to treat it with the utmost respect."

O'Mahony at 34 is not far off hanging up his boots and being able to focus his energy on his beloved garden -- he said after the 38-17 dismantling of France in Marseille he could retire happy.

However, he rowed back when asked whether that level of happiness would be on another stratosphere should he skipper the Irish to the Grand Slam.

"Oh jaysus," he said, grinning. "Look, it would mean a huge amount for me tomorrow to win, that's what I'm focusing on.

"People can, I suppose, predict all they want but you can't drop the ball of what's in front of you.

"And that is a performance against Wales and that's firmly what we're focused on.

"You've probably heard that before, but as soon as you look past that, you know teams can trip you up and catch you out."

F.Jackson--ThChM