MY ACCOUNT
Ireland’s comeback efforts proved fruitless as France held their own to claim a 30-24 win in an enthralling Six Nations tussle on Saturday.
Heading to the Stade de France without injured captain Jonny Sexton, Ireland endured a tough start – including Antoine Dupont scoring the fastest try they have conceded in the Six Nations – and Melvyn Jaminet’s kicking kept them at arm’s length in the first half.
Josh van der Flier and Jamison Gibson-Park led an Ireland rally early in the second, but Cyril Baille’s try saw France regain their composure.
Although that might have been followed by another score in a frantic finish, when TMO intervened, Les Bleus did just enough to hold on to their lead.
Ireland had been swiftly into the lead against Wales last time out but were on the wrong end of a fast start in Paris, as Dupont latched onto an offload with just over a minute played.
Jaminet added the extras and then another three French points from the tee soon after, but Ireland hit back when Sexton’s replacement Joey Carbery hung the restart kick up for Mack Hansen to pounce and go over.
Another Jaminet penalty nosed France into a six-point lead, before two more pieces of Dupont brilliance resulted in two more successfully converted kicks before half-time.
Jaminet’s penalty proficiency continued with a long-range effort early in the second half, yet the momentum quickly swung Ireland’s way when Van der Flier forced his way over in the corner following a successful line-out.
The gap was down to a point by the 49th minute, Gibson-Park grounding underneath the sticks, but Ireland were their own worst enemies four minutes later – an error in the ruck allowing France to capitalise through Baille.
Although Ireland were handed more hope when Carbery chipped through a 30-yard penalty, France pushed back and Jaminet sent a penalty through the sticks to seal victory having failed to ground what seemed set to be a decisive try.
France make it three in a row
Les Bleus, who top the standings on nine points, have now won their opening two Six Nations games in three consecutive years, after managing this just twice in their previous eight campaigns.
They also kept up their fine record when it comes to leading by 12 or more points at half-time. In 91 Tests in which they have held such a lead at the interval, they have gone on to claim 90 wins, only losing to Wales in 2019.
Jaminet the difference
Dupont’s brilliance was on show at the Stade de France, but it was team-mate Jaminet who ultimately proved decisive.
He scored 20 points in total and could well have had a try to his name, too, if not for some fine defending from Dan Sheehan, who just managed to hold the ball up.
Key Opta Facts
– France have won their past three Tests against Ireland, this after winning just one of the previous nine clashes between the sides (D2 L6).
– France defeated Ireland by six points, the 15th time a Six Nations fixture between these sides has been decided by seven points or fewer, more than any other match-up in the Championship since 2000.
– France led by 12 points at half-time, the 18th consecutive Test match they have gone into the break ahead (15 times) or level (three times) and the 21st straight home game in which they have done so (ahead 19 times, level twice).
– France have scored 30+ points in each of their last four Tests – including matches against Ireland and New Zealand – the first time they have managed that since a run of five games in 2003.
– Dupont has been directly involved in 15 tries in the Six Nations since the beginning of 2020 (12 appearances), assisting 10 tries and scoring five in that period.
What’s next?
There’s a two-week break in the schedule now, with France next in action against Scotland in Edinburgh on February 26. Ireland host Italy a day later.
