France on course for Grand Slam after defeating Ireland in enthralling encounter

• France race to a 10-0 early lead before Ireland strike back in pulsating first half
• Visitors get to within a point of hosts having been 12 points down
• Ireland lose for first time in 10 matches after determined effort at a raucous Stade de France

If France do end up winning their first Guinness Six Nations title since 2010, possibly their first grand slam, and thence go on to thrill at their home World Cup in 18 months’ time, which many expect them to do, such is the talent and power in their squad, they will surely look back on this game as a key moment in their development. What a Test match.

Fabian Galthie’s team ultimately won 30-24 to send the Stade de France into raptures. But they had to withstand a monumental effort from Ireland in the second half, Andy Farrell’s team emerging from a wonderfully entertaining game hugely in credit, and ultimately outscoring their hosts three tries to two.

Ireland answered a lot of questions in that second half. Not least, the question which has been hanging over them for years: What do they do without Johnny Sexton?

The hamstring injury suffered by Ireland captain’s in training this week thrust Joey Carbery centre stage. And the 26 year-old Munster fly half, after a quiet first 40 minutes in which Ireland were almost entirely on the back foot, began to look far more confident in the second half, linking nicely with Jamison Gibson-Park inside him, and becoming increasingly ambitious in terms of the moves he was calling. 

Ireland are amassing a squad capable of challenging the world’s best, and increasingly have the game to go with the grunt. Carbery has shown himself capable, not only of standing in for Sexton, but offering Ireland something different, something more instinctive. 

There was not much Carbery could do about France’s dominance in the opening period. Feeding off an electric atmosphere inside the Stade de France, the home side were utterly irrepressible, winning the contact area and providing a platform for World Player of the Year Antoine Dupont to strut his considerable stuff. 

It took the man nicknamed the ‘Minister for the Interior’ just 67 seconds to make inroads into Ireland’s defences, racing onto a one-handed offload from Romain Ntamack and crossing for the game’s first try. Melvyn Jaminet converted to make it 7-0.

In a breathless opening 10 minutes, Ireland tried to counter, pouring upfield only for Caelan Doris to spill Gibson-Park’s pass inside France’s 22, allowing France to kick into the acres of space behind Ireland. That led to a penalty from which Jaminet put France 10-0 up.

This time Ireland did strike back immediately. Mack Hansen, on only his second start for Ireland following his move from the Brumbies to Connacht six months ago, plucked Carbery’s restart right out of the hands of Jaminet and raced away unopposed for his first try in green.

Both sets of supporters were loving it. 

Ireland did not get much change out of referee Angus Gardner in those opening exchanges, the Australian endearing himself to the France fans ahead of next year’s World Cup. Andrew Conway was unfortunate to be penalised for going through Jaminet in the air, and a number of other marginal decisions went France’s way.

But there was no disputing the dominance of France’s pack who enjoyed a considerable weight advantage. They absolutely steamrollered Ireland in the opening 40 minutes; Cyrille Baille and Uini Atonio giving Andrew Porter and Tadhg Furlong their most torrid half of rugby in a long while. 

It wasn’t just brute strength either. Shaun Edwards has this France team so well drilled. They would smash into Ireland with a big carry, Paul Willemse or Gregory Alldritt, and sucker Ireland into committing three or four men to the ruck, only to stand off and leave themselves with a numerical advantage.

Dupont kept showing glimpses of his magic and a wonderful flat pass to Penaud after 34 minutes took out four Ireland defenders in one go. The France wing did equally well to step inside his marker and flick it out the back door to Yoram Moefana. Ireland scrambled well but were caught offside, allowing Jaminet to make it 19-7 at half time.

The second half began as the first ended with France on the front foot, and another Jaminet penalty put hosts 22-7 up.

But this Ireland team have some fight in them, and they fought back bravely. First Josh van der Flier scored from a line-out drive after Andrew Porter won a penalty straight from the restart, which Ireland kicked to the corner. And suddenly Farrell’s men were all over France, carrying hard, making yards, punching holes.

Gibson-Park slipped straight through one the size of the Arc de Triomphe to notch Ireland’s third try of the game and suddenly it was 22-21.

TRY!