Sunday 15 March 2015 18:01, UK
Ireland will not be "distracted by the bigger picture" of chasing Test records and the Six Nations Grand Slam in Cardiff on Saturday, according to Paul O'Connell.
Ireland are chasing an 11th consecutive Test victory this weekend to move within touching distance of a first Grand Slam since 2009.
Captain O'Connell will win his 100th cap but celebrations are being put on hold as Ireland seek a third successive win over Wales for the first time in a decade.
"It's very hard to keep winning. If you focus on a match-winning record or you focus on a championship, then you get distracted from what you need to do," said O'Connell.
"When we jog out onto the pitch on Saturday, it's either going to be their kick-off or our kick-off and you'll have a job to do.
"And you just keep trying to repeat all those little jobs, trying to win as many of those little moments as you can, and that's all you can do.
"I enjoy that way of preparing, I know Joe (Schmidt) prepares all his teams like that, but it's probably something I've only stumbled on in recent times.
While the England game was a great result I think there were a lot of things we would like to improve on.
"But it does avoid you getting distracted and it does avoid you suffering from maybe the pressure of the bigger picture.
"While the England game was a great result, I think there were a lot of things we would like to improve on.
"I think England are a great side but I don't think they played well against us and of all the teams Wales, later in the championship, playing at home in the Millennium Stadium - we're going to come across a great side tomorrow that are probably going to play great as well.
"That's going to be a bigger challenge I think than England, given the performance they produced two weeks ago."
O'Connell scored a try on his Test debut against Wales in the 2002 Six Nations, but he cannot even remember scoring as he played on after being knocked out.
The 35-year-old pledged to park the nostalgia to face Wales though, prepared to look back on his career highlights at a later date.
"It's obviously a great honour, but it's obviously something you look back at in time rather than dwelling on it now," said O'Connell of joining Brian O'Driscoll, Ronan O'Gara and John Hayes in Ireland's century club.
"I think in some ways, your first cap is probably a more nerve-wracking experience I suppose.
"I've been through it before, but it is a great honour and it's a nice little group of Irish guys who have done it before that I'm joining, so I'm very honoured."
