Hopes of a first championship clean sweep since 1948 were reduced to rubble by France on Saturday but the Irish can still finish top of the pile when they play Wales in Cardiff.

Welsh strength and the mathematics involved suggest Ireland's title bid is a long shot but O'Driscoll insists it is crucial for his side to win the tournament after finishing runners up for the last two seasons.

The Grand Slam is gone but the championship and Triple Crown are still there to be won, said the Leinster centre, who will captain Ireland for the 22nd time on Saturday.

Everyone was deflated after the defeat by France because there has been so much hype - from inside and outside the squad - surrounding how well this team has performed over the last few years.

To lose the way we did on Saturday was very deflating. But everyone has bounced back and realised there is nothing we can do about the past. We understand the potential left in this championship.

Chasing the title and not the Grand Slam is not the perfect situation to be in, but it's second best. We won the Triple Crown last year and now we want to reach the next level, which is the championship title.

It would be wonderful if we could achieve that because this team wants to win some silverware.