6 Nations
WATCH: Ireland Blow Resilient France Away | Report & Highlights
Ireland outclassed and out-muscled France in the penultimate match of the Six Nations
Ireland have beaten France 26-14 in Rory Best and Joe Schmidt’s final Six Nations home game at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday.
#GuinnessSixNations
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) March 10, 2019
Full Time score: IRELAND 26-14 France #TeamOfUs #IREvFRA #ShoulderToShoulder pic.twitter.com/omPh8EUi4Q
The win ensures that Ireland remain in the hunt to retain their Six Nations championship next weekend against Wales.
Before the game started, Rob Kearney was pulled from the team with Jordan Larmour taking his place at full-back and Andrew Conway sitting on the bench.
Despite the late change the hosts started brilliantly, with Best being bundled over by James Ryan in the left corner in the third minute following a penalty to the corner from Johnny Sexton.
Sexton stepped up to deliver a magnificent kick through the posts from the left touchline.
After that it was all Ireland as they camped themselves in the French 22.
There were a couple of injuries on both sides, most noticeably Josh van der Flier heading off with a leg injury and Jack Conan coming on after 24 minutes.
France were warned time and time again about the number of penalties they had conceded in their 22 and Demba Bamba was lucky not to be sin-binned as Ireland crossed for their second try on 30 minutes.
With the penalties building up Ireland set up a line-up maul which Murray took the ball from and sent it to Sexton. Who in turn sent it to Ringrose while wrapping around before receiving the ball back and darting over for a try which he converted himself to make it 14-0.
Six minutes on and it was Conan who made it three tries before the break after a number of Irish carries which he finished, powering through two French players.
Sexton narrowly missed the conversion meaning it was 19-0 to Ireland at half-time.
#GuinnessSixNations
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) March 10, 2019
Half Time score: IRELAND 19-0 France #TeamOfUs #IREvFRA #ShoulderToShoulder pic.twitter.com/vLQeZv3SHr
After the break it was France who began the better, putting pressure on but getting no reward.
Instead, it was Ireland who secured their bonus-point through Keith Earls who was sent through a gap by CJ Stander following a line-out and accelerated past the French defence to touch down.
Sexton scored the extras and at 26-0 Ireland made five changes.
The changes were working with Ireland again camped on the French line and Dorian Aldegheri receiving a yellow card after taking down the scrum on three occasions.
It took until the 77th minute for France to come alive with Yoann Huget racing through the Irish defence to score, Bestiste Serin tipped the conversion over.
With the clock in red France got another score through Camille Chat, again Serin converted to leave the score at 26-14 at full-time.
After the game, man of the match James Ryan admitted Ireland will go to Wales with confidence, but they will have to be better.
#GuinnessSixNations
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) March 10, 2019
Congratulations to @JamesRyan126 who has been named Man of the Match!#TeamOfUs #IREvFRA #ShoulderToShoulder pic.twitter.com/E96uyWZoNA
“Wales are such a quality team and we’ve seen how good they have been this year. So, we are happy with today and as I say there are definitely areas we could be better at, it’s shaping up to be a good one next weekend,” he said.
Captain Rory Best confirmed this will be his final home game in the Six Nations following his teams win.
“It will be my last home game in the Six Nations. On one hand, it’s bitterly disappointing to know that you’ll not play out here in a Six Nations game again but on the other hand it was a great way to goo out,” he said.
The win now means that Ireland will be in with a chance of winning the championship next weekend with a win over Wales coupled with anything but a win for England over Scotland. While the loss now means that France
We ran our eyes over the players and gave their our ratings out of 10. You can check them out by clicking here.
Match Highlights:
Munster Rugby and the IRFU are pleased to confirm contract extensions for Conor Murray and Jack Daly with Brian Gleeson to be promoted from the Academy to the senior squad next season.
Murray and Daly have signed one-year extensions with Gleeson moving up to the senior squad on a two-year deal.
Gleeson is one of five Academy players moving up to the senior squad next year with Tony Butler, Ethan Coughlan, Mark Donnelly and Edwin Edogbo also signing two-year deals.
Conor Murray is one of the most decorated scrum-halfs in world rugby with 116 Ireland caps and three British & Irish Lions tours to his name.
A former St Munchin’s College student, the Garryowen man won his fifth 6 Nations title with Ireland last month and earned his second league title with Munster last season.
The 34-year-old has made 185 Munster appearances and scored 34 tries for the province to date and was named on World Rugby’s Team of the Decade in 2019.
25-year-old flanker Jack Daly came up through the ranks at Castleisland RFC and made his Munster debut against Zebre in 2020.
Daly joined the Academy in 2018, moved up to the senior squad in 2021 and plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen. A former Ireland U20 international, he made his Champions Cup debut against Toulouse in the quarter-final at the Aviva Stadium in 2022.
Try-scoring number 8 Brian Gleeson leads the charge for the Ireland Under-20s against France ©INPHO/Evan Treacy
20-year-old Gleeson moves up to the senior squad after just one year in the Academy that has seen him score one try in nine senior appearances.
Currently out of action with an ankle injury, he had already made three Champions Cup appearances before turning 20.
The powerful back-row forward was a Grand Slam winner with the Ireland U20s last year. plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen and came up through the ranks at Thurles RFC and Rockwell College.
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations clash against Scotland at Aviva Stadium (Kick-off 4.45pm).
Ireland – currently sitting top of the Six Nations table heading into Super Saturday – can clinch back-to-back Championship titles with victory over Scotland in Dublin.
Farrell has named an unchanged starting XV for the Round 5 clash, as Hugo Keenan, Calvin Nash and James Lowe continue in the Ireland back three. Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki are once again selected in midfield, with Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park the starting half-backs.
Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong pack down in the front row, with Joe McCarthy partnering Tadhg Beirne – who is set to win his 50th Test cap for Ireland – in the engine room.
Captain Peter O’Mahony is at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier is at openside and Caelan Doris completes the starting XV at number eight.
The Ireland Coaching Team have opted for a 5-3 split on the bench, with Rónan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan providing the reinforcements up front, and Conor Murray, Harry Byrne and the fit-again Garry Ringrose the backline options.
Saturday’s match is live on Virgin Media One and ITV, with live radio coverage available on RTE Radio 1.
Ireland Team & Replacements (v Scotland, Guinness Men’s Six Nations, Saturday, March 16, 4.45pm)
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(39)
14. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(5)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(71)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(55)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(30)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(13)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(34)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(63)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(25)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(75)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(9)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(49)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(captain)(104)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(61)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(40)
Replacements:
16. Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(30)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(128)
18. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(39)
19. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(19)
20. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(45)
21. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(115)
22. Harry Byrne (UCD/Leinster)(3)
23. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)(57).
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations clash against England at Twickenham (Kick-off 4.45pm).
Peter O’Mahony captains Ireland for the Round 4 visit to London, with Hugo Keenan returning to the starting XV after recovering from injury.
Keenan joins Calvin Nash and James Lowe in the Ireland back three, with Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw continuing their midfield partnership.
Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park are retained as the half-back pairing.
In the pack, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong are in the front row, with Joe McCarthy and Tadhg Beirne named in the engine room. Captain O’Mahony is at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier is at openside and Caelan Doris completes the starting XV at number eight.
The Ireland Coaching Team have selected a 6-2 split on the bench, as Ronan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Iain Henderson, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan provide the reinforcements in the pack.
Backs Conor Murray and Ciaran Frawley complete Ireland’s Match Day 23 to face England.
Saturday’s match is live on RTÉ2 and ITV.
Ireland:
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(38)
14. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(4)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(70)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(54)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(29)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(12)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(33)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(62)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(24)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(74)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(8)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(48)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(captain)(103)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(60)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(39)
Replacements:
16. Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(29)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(127)
18. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(38)
19. Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster)(80)
20. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(18)
21. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(44)
22. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(114)
23. Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(3)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
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