Robinsons pre-match words have been bold and they need to be. Ireland are favourites for the Grand Slam and welcome Brian ODriscoll back from injury to captain the side.

The England head coach is acutely aware that the best way to nullify Irelands electric back division is to dominate field position and set-pieces - two areas England have struggled with this season.

Painfully slow ball gave them no attacking platform against Wales and led to ill-discipline at the breakdown in the France game which Dimitri Yachvili duly exploited to win the game with six penalty kicks.

Robinson accepted the criticism but promised his team will take a positive approach to Lansdowne Road.

He said: The key battle will be at the ruck, who dominates. The last two games we have had a lot of slow ball.

If we had been able to generate some quick ball, you would have seen our attacking flair and rhythm.

We have been working hard at generating a blast at contact and our techniques, the number of people at breakdown and to win the ball dynamically, he said.

If we can generate three or four phases of attacking play we can create opportunities for ourselves but we have got to be generating quick ball at the ruck.

Englands performance against France raised concerns about the lack of leadership and whether Jason Robinson is the right man to captain the side.

But the head coach was forthright in his support of his skipper and the pack leader Ben Kay, who will need to combat an effective Irish lineout.

Robinson added: I think Jason has captained the side well. I his think leadership off the pitch, his leadership this week, the one-on-one meetings he has with the players and the information he gives them has been excellent.

On the pitch, not only is Jason our captain but we have other leaders in defence and attack.

Ben Kay is leading the pack. Martin Corry has got influence in the attacking game at number eight, Moody, if fit, will be running our defence and Graham Rowntree will be running the scrums.