Ireland ended France’s 14-match winning run with a 32-19 bonus-point victory over their biggest rival for the Six Nations title in a breathless game between the world’s top two teams on Saturday.
An entertaining first half saw four tries – three of them for Ireland, including a wonderful one-handed finish from James Lowe – made way for a second half which saw France hang on grimly until , until Gary Ringrose reached the match-winning 73rd. Try for a minute.
The defending champions, France, lost for the first time since November 2021 to a team they had beaten in their last three encounters.
The top-ranked Irish are now favorites for a first Six Nations title since 2019, having started the tournament by picking up five points after thrashing Wales 34-10.
Ireland coach Andy Farrell said, “It was a great game, two great teams going up against each other.” “The fighting spirit was great but we played some great stuff too.
“We could have come away with a few more points but we will not be greedy as we have got the bonus point.”
Both teams scored surprise tries, with Damien Peynaud’s try for France beginning with the winger bursting out of his 22, exchanging passes with flanker Anthony Gelonch, and then sprinting over the line for two Blocked potential tacklers.
Lowe’s was different – and could have been better. Lacking space in the left corner, the winger flew into the air under a challenge from Penaud and managed to ground the ball with one hand near the flag, keeping his body horizontal on the touchline. The footage showed him scraping the grass with one foot out of touch, but the try was scored.
Lock Tadgh Byrne and fly-half Jonathan Sexton were injured in the second half for Ireland, who have a two-week break ahead of their third match against Italy.
France, who had won in Italy in the first round, next hosted Scotland, with their ambitions of back-to-back Grand Slams extinguished at Lansdowne Road, where more than 60,000 spectators witnessed five-star quality and intensity. Watched the game, especially a start-to-finish first half that at times felt like a basketball game.
The Irish played as if they had a point to prove, with France the only major nation they had not beaten since Farrell took over as coach following the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Either side of Lowe’s try was scored by fullback Hugo Keenan – a clever move away from a ruck where prop Finlay Beilham was the first receiver and Keenan tricked the French with an inside pass – and assisted by Andrew Porter, who barged in after one in the 27th. Number of steps near the line.
Porter’s try came when France were playing with 14 men when Uni Antonio was yellow carded for a dangerous tackle on Rob Herring, whose face was struck by the French prop’s shoulder as he crashed to the tackle Was.
France conceded no further points without António, but this was only due to some impressive last-ditch defending, particularly from Antoine Dupont, who managed to keep McHenson clear of the tryline despite being off-balance. Ireland scrumhalf Conor Murray was caught over the line by prop Cyrille Bailey and the latter dropped the ball when he attempted to ground it under pressure.
Indeed, Thomas Ramos booted over a penalty to reduce France’s deficit to 19–16, before Antonio headed back for Sexton with the final action of the half to re-establish Ireland’s six-point lead. came.
Ireland were leading in the final 10 minutes after a 62nd-minute drop by Ramos, before Ringrose fouled a French tackler running down the left flank to end France and his men’s hopes. 6,000 traveling supporters.
“They are a world-class side,” said Farrell, “but we expected to go there, perform and win. I’m sure there will be many battles down the line as well.”