Paddy Johns will close in on the record of the legendary Willie-John McBride when he runs out for Ireland for the fiftieth time at Murrayfield on Saturday.

However, comparisons with British Lions lock McBride, who won 63 caps in a 13-year career up to 1975, do not sit well with the modest Johns, 31, who would happily trade all the backslapping and bouquets for a win in Ireland's final 1999 Five Nations match.

Portadown-born Johns, whose quiet, unassuming approach to captaincy is in sharp contrast to his ebullient predecessor Keith Wood, is playing down the significance of his half-century mark.

''I was aware of it and it's nice but it's not a big deal,'' he insists. ''The game is more important than that. For me, it's another chance to play for Ireland.''

It is also another chance to crack the Murrayfield hoodoo. Even Johns, whose first cap came against Argentina in 1990, has yet to taste Five Nations victory in Edinburgh, which last came for Ireland in their 1985 Triple Crown triumph.

''It's not a good record for us,'' he admits, ''although I played in the Barbarians team that won the Dunblane International at Murrayfield.

''I try not to look back. Everyone has got his own job to do and we're quite capable of winning any match we go into.''

Ireland ought to have been going to Murrayfield with hopes of a first championship for 14 years still intact but they let things slip in their opener against France.

The Irish broke a seven-match losing streak with victory over Wales at Wembley but then came unstuck against England a fortnight ago in Dublin.

''We played quite well against Wales and could have put them out of sight but against England we didn't play to our ability,'' says Johns. ''You can put that down to the fact that England played well and stopped us, but the basics let us down.

''We made elementary mistakes and put ourselves under pressure.''

Johns, who is set to leave Saracens and rejoin European Cup holders Ulster next season, may appear to be a permanent fixture in the Irish team but he is taking nothing for granted, even with the cushion of captaincy.

''Nobody is guaranteed a place,'' he says. ''There is lots of competition and everyone has to prove himself. I do enjoy the captaincy, it's a big honour, but I'm lucky in that we've got a bunch of guys that get on. It's the happiest set of players I've known.''

Johns is also full of praise of Warren Gatland, the New Zealander who took over from Brian Ashton as coach and had to wait 12 months for his first victory over a front-line nation.

''Warren has produced such a positive effect,'' says Johns. ''He has such a good manner with the players. He understands the Irish mentality and his knowledge of the All Blacks has rubbed off.''