Lee Byrne: We must turn on the gas from the start

Fifteen to one

I will tell you what I can't wait for. I can't wait for the Six Nations game when we're level-pegging with 20 minutes to go. The way we are finishing the games at the moment it'll be an armchair ride from there on in.

Of course, I'm only joking. We understand how frustrated Wales fans are at our continuing propensity to rack up big deficits and then to only start playing when we're staring down the barrel. As promising as it is to be closing the games so strongly we really don't want to become known as the "comeback kings" of rugby. We realise how good we will be when we learn to put it together from the off.

What makes it seem stranger is that Wales always used to be a team who would start well and then tail off as the gas ran out. Gas is clearly not a problem now. Yet starting well is. In fact, we're handing it to the opponents. I suppose the game against France on Friday night was a case in point. Those two interception tries were about the only chances they had in the first half. They didn't break us once otherwise. But they went in 20-0 up. Even they must have been thinking that "this is really weird". They hadn't stretched us at all.

What was said in our dressing room at the break? There were no massive rollockings or anything. We just vowed not to concede another try. We achieved that. We knew we would score points. We just didn't score enough. We had the chances, mind you. I was guilty of kicking a penalty the wrong side of the French corner flag. What can I say? The adrenaline was pumping and the ball caught the outside of my boot. I probably couldn't do it again in 100 attempts. I couldn't help but show my disappointment.

I've got to put it behind me, just as the whole team has to put that mistake-ridden first half behind us. We know what we're doing wrong – conceding too many penalties, making far too many silly errors. I don't think it is anything technical or tactical. Belief, maybe? I cannot put my finger on it.

All I'm certain of is that we could easily have won our first three games. Actually we look back at the England and French defeats and believe we should be sitting pretty now, three out of three. It's our fault we aren't. Someone told me yesterday that in this Championship so far we have "lost" the first 45 minutes 61-15 and "won" the next 35 minutes 53-19. Crazy. But at the same time our finales have been encouraging and so full of potential. We'll get it right, I have no doubt. Beat Ireland and then Italy and there's still a chance of finishing second in this event. That would be a consolation.

As for the winners I can't look past France. I'm sorry but I just can't see England beating them in their own backyard on the final day. It'll be their Grand Slam and I hope it is. It'll make Friday's result a little bit more bearable to remember. Only a little bit, though.