Six Nations: Ireland deliver in style against France at the Aviva
James Lowe shows his joy at the Aviva Stadium. Picture: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
WORLD Cup favourites France travelled to the Aviva Stadium for round two of the Six Nations on Saturday afternoon and threw everything they had at Ireland, only to suffer a resounding defeat at the hands of Andy Farrell’s side, who now will have a Grand Slam very much on their mind.
France had the better of the early exchanges and were awarded when fullback Thomas Ramos despatched a 40m penalty in the 5th minute to take an early lead.
However, Ireland got the opening try in the 9th minute through a sublime effort from full-back Hugo Keenan, who sliced through the French cover like a knife through butter after a beautifully disguised reverse pass from tight head Finlay Bealham created the hole, and once he broke the first line, Keenan had the gas to go the whole way to the try-line.
Ramos slotted another penalty in the 15th minute to make it 7-6 and two minutes later they exploded into life, scoring a superb try from deep, in the most perfect illustration of French flair. The move began when right-wing Damian Penaud collected a loose ball deep in his own 22 and offloaded to the supporting Anthony Jelonch. The big blindside busted right up the middle, before popping it back to Penaud, who was running a wonderful diagonal line behind him, and the wing was able to fend off the attempted tackle of Mack Hansen to race home.
France did not get long to enjoy the score as Ireland scored in the 20th minute when James Lowe just about grounded it in the left corner, after being fed by Garry Ringrose.
France were reduced to fourteen men in the 26th minute when tight head Uini Atonio was deemed guilty of a dangerous head-high hit on Rob Herring, although the card really should have been red, rather than yellow. Ireland capitalised almost immediately when Andrew Porter bashed over from close range to put Ireland back in front.
Ramos once again showed how lethal he is when he slotted yet another long-range penalty in the 33rd minute, but the rollercoaster nature of this encounter continued when Hansen looked to be on the verge of scoring after a brilliant Keenan break in the 37th minute, only to be denied by a superb try saving tackle by French captain Antoine Dupont.
Conor Murray was almost in soon after but knocked on while attempting to dot down, and Ireland were happy to kick a three-pointer on the stroke of halftime, to deservedly lead 22-16 at the break.
Ramos was just short from range in the 36th minute as the game finally settled into a bit of a lull, after the simply frantic first half, with the biggest moment in the third quarter arguably being when Jonathan Sexton had to retire, to be replaced by Leinster teammate Ross Byrne, who slotted a penalty from under the French posts in the 59th minute to push Ireland into a two-score lead, although a quick drop goal from Ramos almost immediately cancelled that out.
Ireland began to strangle France at this juncture, pinning them back into their own 22, and eventually, they made the pressure tell when Caelan Doris gave a superb pass, under pressure, to find Ringrose loitering along the left touchline, and the centre had the strength to blast through the attempted tackle to grab the bonus point clinching try, to wrap up the game.
Sexton (2 cons, 1 pen), Byrne (1 pen, 1 con), Keenan, Lowe, Porter, Ringrose (1 try each).
Ramos (3 pens, 1 con, 1 drop), Penaud (1 try).
Keenan; Hansen, Ringrose, McCloskey, Lowe; Sexton (c), Murray; Porter, Herring, Bealham; Beirne, Ryan; O'Mahony, van der Flier, Doris.
Kelleher for Herring (26), Henderson for Beirne (45), Byrne for Sexton (48), Conan and Casey for O’Mahony and Murray (56), O’Toole for Bealham (62), Aki for McCloskey (65), Kilcoyne for Porter (69).
Ramos; Penaud, Fickou, Moefana, Dumortier; Ntamack, Dupont (c); Baille, Marchand, Atonio; Flament, Willemse; Jelonch, Ollivon, Alldritt.
Falatea for Alldritt (26), Alldritt for Falatea (37), Taofifenua for Willemse (45), Macalou for Alldritt (52), Wardi and Falatea for Baille and Antonio (56), Jalibert for Ramos (62), Cros for Ollivon (69).
Wayne Barnes (RFU)
