The magnificent Dublin arena will host its first international rugby match when Ireland meet the defending champions in a mouth-watering RBS 6 Nations clash.

The rugby team's appearance at the home of the Gaelic Athletic Association would have been unthinkable just a few of years ago and it marks a defining moment in Irish sporting history.

But while O'Connell admits Ireland can inspiration from the occasion, he has warned his team-mates France will be 'oblivious' to the Croke Park factor.

'We have to do the ground justice by becoming the victorious team,' said the Munster second row.

'History would look more favourably on a team that won their first game at Croke Park rather than one that lost it.

'We want to get the crowd behind us but we have to give them something to cheer.

'We hope we'll do that and that they'll respond by giving us a massive lift. The crowd have a big role to play tomorrow (Sunday).

'But while the Croke Park aspect is something we'll enjoy and use as motivation, we must realise it won't win us the game.

'France have played in plenty of hostile grounds so they're well used to that sort of thing. They'll be fairly oblivious to it.'

Ireland had a run-out at the stadium this morning and O'Connell dismissed concerns over the standard of the pitch.

'It's a great facility, there's no doubt about it,' he said.

'The pitch is in great nick, it's a fabulous stadium, the dressing room is great and everything is settled for a good, exciting day.

'Now all we have to do is go out and do the ground justice with our performance.

'We'd heard so much about the pitch but it was better than we expected it to be. It's been fine for us, maybe because we're wearing long studs.'

O'Connell was handed the captaincy following Brian O'Driscoll's withdrawal with a hamstring strain on Friday.

O'Driscoll's absence is an enormous blow to Ireland's hopes of toppling Bernard Laporte's men and the loss of veteran scrum-half Peter Stringer to a fractured hand has also hit hard.

Shane Horgan switches to centre with Isaac Boss taking over at scrum-half - to prove capable deputies.