French Irish Game 10th February
France 26-21 Ireland
18:00 - 9th, Feb 2008
France survived a second-half onslaught to edge out Ireland 26-21 in a thrilling Six Nations encounter at the Stade de France.
France had dominated a one-sided first period in which they built a healthy lead after flying winger Vincent Clerc had claimed a hat-trick of tries.
Both sides had won their opening games in the competition, but at that stage it looked as though Marc Lievremont's new-look France would run away with the game after out-playing the Irish from virtually the opening whistle.
Clerc ran in three scores in a devastating 22-minute spell, while all Ireland had to show for 40 torrid minutes were two penalties from the reliable boot of Ronan O'Gara.
However, the second period was an entirely different story and Lievremont may well look at his decision to make a host of early substitutions as a mistake as Ireland woke from their slumbers.
Impressive scrum-half Jean-Baptiste Elissalde was taken off soon after Cedric Heymans had gone over for France's fourth try of the match in the 50th minute.
Ireland made the most of uncertainty in the home side's ranks as they dominated the scrum and bullied the now timid opposition.
First they were gifted five points with the award of a penalty try, before David Wallace went over for a well-worked score three minutes later.
O'Gara had slotted home a penalty but failed to convert the try which left Ireland needing more than a converted score to complete a remarkable fightback.
He did coolly convert a 75th-minute penalty to plunge the Stade de France into an eerie silence but, with Ireland camped inside the France 22 in the closing stages, they just couldn't find a way through and the home side held on for a nervy win.
This article does not do justice to the new hope in the average Irish supporter - the fans of both teams left Stade France happy last night - the french because they won in the first half 19-6 half time score , the Irish because they saw the team finally shake of the world cup malaise in the second half - they were gutsy, they won scrums to the point were they were making precious yards by driving the French backwards - unfortunately the backs didn't quite regain their composure as much as the forwards - O' Driscoll passed high, O'Gara missed an easy conversion etc.. - but the LADs are back and they were firing- had the game lasted 5 more minutes we would have had them - Low Lie the Fields would have been sung with Gusto in the bars of Paris last night
Keith Woods exHooker/commentator summed up the second half - the French were confused and the Irish were resurgent
