Six Nations: Ireland gain revenge as French mistakes prove costly at Croke Park

08 February 2009

Ireland 30 (13) France 21 (10)

Tries from Jamie Heaslip, Brian O’Driscoll and Gordan D’Arcy, coupled with 15 points from the boot of the ever-reliable Ronan O’Gara, secured Ireland a thrilling 30-21 victory over France.

It was the home side’s first win against Les Bleus in eight attempts, only their fourth in the last 27 meetings, and clearly delighted a raucous sell-out crowd of 80,000 at Croke Park.

The Irish made amends for their narrow defeat here two years ago with a determined and confidence-building performance that just shaded France in an entertaining game that also saw the visitors score twice, through Imanol Harinordoquy and Maxime Medard.

Ireland struck first with O’Gara landing a second-minute penalty to put the hosts ahead, but France also started brightly and made it clear their intention was to run the ball at every opportunity.

Thierry Dusautoir’s seventh-minute knock-on cost them an almost immediate response but they didn’t have long to wait before the recalled number eight Harinordoquy rumbled over in the left corner for the game’s opening try after quarter of an hour.

The veteran Biarritz man capped a sweeping move which was initiated from a lineout on France’s own 10m line, with the ball zipping right and then back across to the opposite corner as Ireland’s defence was stretched to breaking point.

Fly-half Lionel Beauxis, who generally had a competent game, then fired over the conversion to hand France a 7-3 lead, but O’Gara’s penalty two minutes later immediately cut the deficit back to a solitary point.

At this stage it was France who still held the upper hand, with inspirational second row Sebastien Chabal leading the way with a couple of rampaging runs as he stretched his ample legs.

But the score remained 7-6 until seven minutes before the interval when Ireland’s number eight responded in kind to Harinordoquy’s earlier effort, even selling Clement Poitrenaud an outrageous dummy as he surged over from the 22.

O’Gara, inevitably, added the extra two points to lift Ireland 13-7 ahead and it looked as if that would be the half-time score until Beauxis landed an opportunistic drop-goal right on the whistle.

At 13-10 the game was still anyone’s, but Irish totem Brian O’Driscoll lifted both his team and the already animated Croke Park faithful when he raced over for the home side’s second try just two minutes after the restart. Beauxis will be disappointed with the weak attempted tackle that O’Driscoll effortlessly swatted aside, but it was welcome return to try-scoring form for the ex-skipper.

O’Gara’s boot extended the advantage further to 20-10 as the Irish threatened to unhinge the French resolve, but the visitors countered in the only way they know – by running the ball. Harinordoquy was again instrumental as he helped gather a bouncing up and under before setting up Beauxis for a delicate chip through which young winger Maxime Medard neatly gathered and touched down.

Beauxis couldn’t repeat his earlier corner conversion but his second drop-goal shortly after narrowed the gap back down 20-18 with just under half an hour to play.

Irish nerves looked frayed when O’Gara then missed with a 55^th-minute penalty, but 10 minutes later D’Arcy rolled over for the game’s decisive score after a powerful forwards’ surge that carried just enough momentum break the line.

O’Gara made no mistake this time and France, 27-18 down, knew they had to score twice to get the win they so desperately wanted.

A late Beauxis penalty four minutes from time paved the way for a potentially thrilling climax, but ill-discipline cost Marc Lièvremont's side dear as O’Gara responded in kind to shut out any victory hopes after Les Bleus were penalised for not releasing.

So, ultimate frustration for the French as they kicked off their 2009 campaign with a defeat, but there were enough positives for Lièvremont to take some comfort from the loss.  

Ireland: Kearney; Bowe, B O'Driscoll (capt), P Wallace, Fitzgerald; O'Gara, O'Leary; Horan, Flannery, Hayes, O'Callaghan, O'Connell, Ferris, D Wallace, Heaslip.
Replacements: R Best for Flannery (49), Court, O'Kelly, Leamy, Stringer, D'Arcy for Wallace (63), Murphy for Kearney 79, Leamy for Ferris 79
Not Used: Court, O'Kelly, Stringer.
France: Poitrenaud; Malzieu, Fritz, Jauzion, Medard; Beauxis, Tillous-Borde; Faure,
Szarzewski, Lecouls, Chabal, Nallet; Dusautoir, Ouedraogo, Harinordoquy.
Replacements: Kayser for Szarzewski (58), Mas for Lecouls (40), Millo-Chluski for Chabal (62), Picamoles for Harinordoquy (71), Parra for Tillous-Borde (68)
Not Used: Baby, Heymans.
Att: 82,000

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