Rugby Live

Finished Saint-Denis

France 25 - Ireland 3

France

Ireland

  1. Clerc puts Les Bleus back on track

    Clerc puts Les Bleus back on track

    France got their World Cup campaign back on track with a convincing 25-3 victory over Ireland in Paris on Saturday evening, a result that leaves them with an outside chance of topping Pool D. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:80'
    • France
    • Ireland
    • 80' Ref blows for full-time and France get their World Cup back on track with a convincing 25-3 victory. What now for Ireland? Well, they must now beat Argentina, and score four tries. to stand any chance of progressing past the pool stages. Not a good night for the Irish. Thanks for joining us!
    • 80' Ireland try to spread the ball but pass it directly into touch. They are looking bedraggled now!
    • 79' Free kick to France and Beauxis finds a huge touch in Ireland half.
    • 77' Ireland forwards now battering France line but defence is good. Ireland spread ball wide but France up quickly to snuff out the danger. France turnover but touch judge rules knock on.
    • 75' Ireland win penalty for offside and France concede 10m for not retreating. Traille eventually sinbinned for second offense. Ireland kick for the corner.
    • 74' Jauzion for Marty and Beauxis for Elissalde, with Michalak going to scrum half.
    • 74' O'Connell back on but its all too late for the Irish, who are looking battered. Their morale will not be high for their must-win clash with Argentina.
    • 72' Rougerie on for Poitrenaud as France forwards make good ground with their rolling maul.
    • 72' D'Arcy penalised for holding on and Traille pushes France into Ireland half.
    • 70' Looks like France are going for the extra bonus point, but Ireland win free kick. O'Gara's grubber is hacked downfield but they regather the ball. The Irish looking very tired now and making little in roads into France defence!
    • 69' Another chip from Elissalde and Clerc wins the race. Has he got the ball down? Ref goes to video official who rules he has! A double for the Toulouse wing and his fifth of the tournament. 25-3.
    • 68' Ireland forcing the game now and knock on on their own 22m line. Desperate times now for the Irishmen.
    • 66' O'Gara chips over France line but Elissalde reads it well. Michalak kicks for the corner. Ireland make a mess of the lineout, Flannery dropping it in the process of throwing and France dive over! But no try! Not sure why?
    • 65' Ireland pressure France into knocking on at lineout and win scrum down. Horgan joins the pack on the flank.
    • 64' O'Connell sin binned for persistent infringing, coming in from the side! France kick for the corner.
    • 62' Nyanga on for Besten.
    • 62' France forwards driving and Ireland give away another penalty for dropping the drive! Elissalde hits the post and Reddan clears for touch.
    • 60' France have their tails up now and may even consider going for an extra bonus point!
    • 59' Superb kick off outside of the boot from Michalak and Clerc is free down the right and easilly touches down for France try!! Genius from Michalak as France move 20-3 ahead.
    • 58' Huge scrum from France forces Ireland back near to their 22m line. But O'Connell takes good lineout only for Irish forwards give away free kick.
    • 57' Szarzewski on for Ibanez at hooker.
    • 57' Ibanez now gives away a penalty for stamping. Ridiculous decision as the Irish player was on the wrong side and in the way!
    • 56' Leamy runs from deep but France stop him in his tracks with big defence. Bonnaire steals ball superbly from Horgan and sets France off on another attack.
    • 54' France win lineout and Ireland concede another penalty for O'Connoll lifting the man in a ruck. Elissalde strikes a superb kick to put France 15-3 up.
    • 52' Traille finds good touch but Ireland still have attacking position just outside France 22 as their fans try to lift them. France nick the lineout and clear danger. Michalak has gone down after late challenge from Easterby and France win penalty and kicks deep into Ireland half.
    • 49' Horgan makes charge in midfield. Ireland hold on to possession and Easterby makes superb break down the middle. Ireland recycle ball but Horan knocks on out wide. Well played Ireland.
    • 48' Dusautoir offside and Ireland kick for lineout 10m into French half.
    • 47' France win line out and forwards make good ground before feeding the backs, only Traille to knock on in midfield. Phew! Real opportunity for France there and Ireland let off.
    • 47' Dempsey clears the danger up to the halfway line.
    • 46' Nallet on for Chabal.
    • 46' Powerful scrum from France but Leamy does well to secure the ball and O'Gara kicks into France 22. Poitrenaud replies with interest and moves France into Ireland's half.
    • 45' Elissalde and Clerc link well down the right but Ireland nick the ball and move upfield. Ireland win scrum - looked like lazy running from the French. Come on ref, the whole of Paris could see that!!!
    • 43' France concede penalty for pulling down at the lineout and O'Gara moves Ireland down to their 22m line. But Dusautoir nicks the lineout and Ireland give away penalty for Easterby offside! Ireland have to cut out these infringements! Traille kicks down to halfway line.
    • 41' Michalak miscues his kick and it's well taken by O'Driscoll. O'Gara's turn now for a high kick and Poitrenaud takes mark and a quick tap, only to be flattened by O'Driscoll! Brilliant tackle - split the French full-back in two. But Ireland concede free kick for not retreating 10m from the mark.
    • 41' O'Gara gets second half started. Ireland need to score first and get themselves back into this game.
    • 40' Ref blows for half-time and the hosts take a 12-3 lead into the break. France have been the better side but Ireland are still in this game, but they must cut out their mistakes and indiscipline. All to play for in the second half. The next score will be absolutely crucial!
    • 40' France battering Ireland's line now and win another penalty for offside! Elissalde makes it 12-3.
    • 40' Heymans takes quick throw and Traille puts ice on his kick. ireland fail to take it and Horgan forced to step into touch 5m from Ireland's try line. Not the finish Ireland wanted to the half. France win throw and Chabal on the charge.
    • 38' Another high ball from France and Dempsey knocks on. Ireland force knock from France and win scrum and chance to clear the danger. Ireland back row starting to make a mark in this game now.
    • 36' Penalty now to Ireland for Marty obstruction in midfield. O'Gara finds touch just outside France 22. Ireland need something from this - something to take into half time. France concede another penalty but it doesn't matter as O'Gara slots a sublime drop goal. 9-3. Well played O'Gara!
    • 35' Michalak pulls the kick and Ireland are lucky not to go further behind!
    • 33' O'Gara finds touch 10m from halfway line, O'Callaghan takes a clean catch and Ireland forwards drive upfield, steadilly making ground before ref blows again - what's going on now? Looks like stamping from Ireland. Wallace penalised for treading on a Frenchman - senseless penalty!!
    • 32' Bonnaire takes lineout cleanly but Ireland win a penalty for France not releasing. Bit of argy bargy follows. Great defence from Easterby wins Ireland a reprieve as ref talks to Michalak and Horgan. Naughty chaps!
    • 31' Another penalty to France for Ireland killing the ball. France putting the squeeze on here and opt for the lineout 5m from Ireland's try line.
    • 30' Lucky defelection for France and they move it left and then right and O'Driscoll needs to hoof the ball into touch deep in his own 22m. France threatening here and Ireland under enormous pressure.
    • 28' Reddan chips ahead from solid Irish scrum but ball finds touch.
    • 28' Ireland force a turn over. Poitrenaud and Betsen in the wars. Blood injury for Betsen while Poitrenaud appears to be limping.
    • 26' O'Gara puts up high ball and it finally comes to Horgan. Ball is recycled and O'Connell makes a big charge in midfield, only for Ireland to give away another penalty for playing the ball off their feet. Things not quite going Ireland's way so far.
    • 25' Elissalde hacks up field and Dempsey return the kick. Poitrenaud slices his kick badly and Ireland gain lineout in France half.
    • 24' France again pressing but this time Ireland win a penalty for Heymans holding on to the ball. O'Gara finds a good touch near France 22m line.
    • 22' No mistakes from Elissalde who puts France 9-0 ahead. Ireland need to watch their indiscipline.
    • 20' France looking dangerous, pressing the Ireland line and recycling the ball quickly. Ireland concede another penalty for Leamy handling in a ruck! O'Gara warned by ref for swearing!
    • 19' Michalak has taken a clobbering from Easterby as he clears for touch!! France get throw in as it touched Easterby's hand!
    • 18' Elissalde makes it 6-0 France.
    • 17' Michalak puts up high ball, Dempsey takes it beautifully but Heymans picks up loose Ireland pass and moves it wide to Poitrenaud - he's got the ball down but was he in touch? Ref goes upstairs and the video official rules no try but France gain a penalty for Ireland off side.
    • 13' Ireland win their own 22m drop out and O'Gara kicks long. Michalak tries to launch a counter attack but slips and O'Driscoll turns the ball over. Nice pass Flannery opens a gap for Easterby. Ireland on the charge now but France defence holding firm, only for ref to obstruct an inside break from Trimble. Get out the way Mr White!! He's taken a knock to the face in the process!
    • 11' France penalised for Betsen pulling down at the line-out and O'Gara has penalty chance 10m inside France half. But poor kick from O'Gara - poor strike from a usually excellent kicker.
    • 9' Ireland regain possession from an O'Gara high kick, move it to the blindside but O'Callaghan has foot in touch. Wasted chance for the Irish!
    • 8' Poitrenaud under pressure from kick ahead and slices his clearance. Ireland win line-out in France 22m area.
    • 5' O'Gara puts one out on the full and France have line-out on their 10m line. The hosts win their throw and launch a forward drive before Ireland concede penalty for not rolling away in the tackle. Elissalde takes a quick tap and earns an extra 10m. Clever play from the scrum-half who puts France 3-0 ahead.
    • 3' Ireland spin the ball wide, recycle it and O'Gara puts up another high ball. Poitrenaud gather safely before a period of aerial chess.
    • 2' Not straight at the lineout and Ireland opt for the scrum. O'Gara puts up a high ball, Heymans gathers it well and Traille find a good touch.
    • 1' Damien Traille gets the game underway, Ireland win the start and O'Gara finds a safe touch.
    • - There is an amazing atmosphere in the Stade de France with every single fan knowing what this game means. It's a fine evening and we can expect a magnificent clash!
    • - Despite victories over Namibia and Georgia, just, Ireland have had their own problems in the tournament and clearly have not been firing on all cylinders. Coach Eddie O'Sullivan has dropped veteran scrum-half Peter Stringer and brought in Eoin Reddan in an attempt to get his backline moving. He has also preferred Andrew Trimble on the wing to Denis Hickie. One thing is for sure: Brian O'Driscoll will need to be on top form if Ireland are going to stand any chance of victory.
    • - After their opening defeat to Argentina, France simply cannot afford to lose this evening. A second loss would see them eliminated at the group stage and the tournament would be the worse for it. Coach Bernard Laporte has made a number of brave selections, retaining Sebastien Chabal in the second row, David Marty in the centre and Vincent Clerc on the wing. Running the show from stand-off is the mercurial Frederic Michalak.
    • - Good evening and welcome to Eurosport's live online coverage of the crunch Pool D game between World Cup hosts France and their European rivals Ireland from the Stade de France. It's the most eagerly awaited clash of the World Cup so far and promises to be a cracker!

  • Summary

    France versus Ireland
    Clerc 59’, 69’ Tries  
      Conversions  
    Elissalde 7’, 18’, 22’, 40’, 55’ Penalties  
      Drops O'Gara 37’

Live Team Line-Up

  • Referee: Chris White

  • France

    Manager: Bernard Laporte

    On the Field

    • Milloud Substitution Out (74′)
    • Ibanez Substitution Out (56′)
    • De Villiers
    • Chabal Substitution Out (46′)
    • Thion
    • Betsen Substitution Out (62′)
    • Dusautoir
    • Bonnaire
    • Elissalde Substitution Out (74′)
    • Michalak
    • Heymans
    • Traille Yellow Card
    • Marty Substitution Out (73′)
    • Clerc Tries×2
    • Poitrenaud Substitution Out (71′)

    Subs

    • Jauzion Substitution In (73′)
    • Nallet Substitution In (45′)
    • Rougerie Substitution In (71′)
    • Poux Substitution In (74′)
    • Nyanga Substitution In (62′)
    • Szarzewski Substitution In (56′)
    • Beauxis Substitution In (74′)

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None

  • Ireland

    Manager: Eddie O'Sullivan

    On the Field

    • Hayes Substitution Out (75′)
    • Flannery Substitution Out (50′)
    • Horan
    • O'Callaghan Substitution Out (72′)
    • O'Connell Yellow Card
    • Easterby Substitution Out (73′)
    • Wallace
    • Leamy
    • Reddan
    • O'Gara
    • Trimble
    • D'Arcy
    • O'Driscoll
    • Horgan
    • Dempsey

    Subs

    • O'Kelly Substitution In (72′)
    • Best Substitution In (75′)
    • Wallace
    • Boss
    • Duffy
    • Best Substitution In (73′)
    • Sheahan Substitution In (50′)

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None