England are reeling from a run of eight defeats in 11 Tests - a miserable sequence Ireland started when they triumphed at Twickenham last March.

Since the Irish ended Englands 21-match unbeaten home record, Lewsey and company have recorded just three wins - against South Africa, Wales and Canada.

Ireland, in contrast, are on a roll, knowing back-to-back Lansdowne Road victories over England and France would send them to Cardiff next month poised for a first Grand Slam since 1948.

Ireland are obviously the favourites for this tournament, and rightly so. Weve got to go there with two defeats and try to rectify that, said Wasps wing Lewsey, who scored his 20th Test try before England collapsed against France, losing 18-17.

We know we have got the players to do it, but we are up against it. Weve got a week away now, and I think that will be healthy to have a bit of a break from each other, and then we come back fresh.

There is no point in going over to Dublin and battening down the hatches. I dont think that suits our game, I dont think the players want to play like that and I dont think the coaches want to play like that.

Hopefully, it will be a dry day, although I dont think I have ever been to Lansdowne Road and there hasnt been a gale blowing from one end to the other!

Despite the magnitude of Englands crisis, Robinson is unlikely to make wholesale changes.

Goalkicker Charlie Hodgson has been heavily criticised and centre Olly Barkley could take over that crucial responsibility.

Although Barkley matched Hodgsons inaccuracy in missing three penalties against France, they were long-range attempts, while his team-mate botched far easier chances.

But in terms of personnel, Robinson could well retain the side pipped by France, especially given the encouraging first-half display undone more through Englands technical indiscipline, rather than any French flair or adventure.

The atmosphere in the camp is fantastic, insisted Lewsey.

You cant fault the preparation, you cant fault the enthusiasm of the squad and the coaches, it was just one of those days. It is a very strong, united squad.

I think we should have won. If we are absolutely honest, I think we were the better team. But having said that, we were guilty of giving away too many penalties in the second-half.

We got ourselves in a position to win the game, and we should have won it, but some execution let us down. We will take it, as a squad, on the chin.