0
Ireland wilts in Paris
From correspondents in Paris, France
September 22, 2007
FRANCE kept its hopes of landing a first World Cup alive with a 25-3 victory over Ireland in their crunch Group D clash at the Stade de France.
Defeat would have meant an all but certain exit for the hosts, but the good news was tempered by the fact that unless either minnows Namibia or the Ireland beat Argentina, France will collide with favourites New Zealand in the quarter-finals in Cardiff.
Two second-half tries by winger Vincent Clerc and 15 points from man of the match Jean-Baptiste Elissalde were enough to see the Irish off in what had been a nervy and close-run affair till the Toulouse flyer scored his first.
For the Ireland, who under coach Eddie O'Sullivan has won just once against France since he took over in 2001, it is almost mission impossible. Only a massive win over the Pumas on Sunday week can give them any chance of making the last eight.
"We really needed to pull out a big match and above all else to win. We went about it in just the right way," French coach Bernard Laporte said.
"We built up our attacks and we knew how to stay patient except for two or three occasions in the first half."
"We didn't get the bonus point and that's a pity, but the important thing was to win and move ahead of the Irish and that's what we did."
Irish skipper Brian O'Driscoll said: "They made it very difficult for us. Our discipline was not the best. When they scored their first try that killed us. We give credit to them, but we didn't have a good performance as well.''
Elissalde opened the scoring in the sixth minute after the opening exchanges had seen some dreadful kicking for touch, notably by Frederic Michalak who missed with his first four kicks, as he slotted over a penalty from close range.
Ronan O'Gara had a great chance to level in the 11th minute, after Serge Betsen had fouled Simon Easterby in the lineout, but he put his penalty wide of the posts.
France came closest to a try in the first-half when a handling by Ireland offered a counter attacking opportunity. France would have scored, but for a stunning last-ditch tackle by Shane Horgan on Clement Poitrenaud.
Ireland still conceded a penalty - for offside earlier in the play - which Elissalde gratefully accepted to make the score 6-0.
The immaculate Elissalde added another penalty three minutes later, while the out-of-sorts O'Gara, who had been plagued by the French media through the week, received a stern talking to from referee Chris White.
O'Gara showed some poise to land a drop goal in the 37th minute to put Ireland on the scoreboard. However, Elissalde, who was the coolest head on the pitch, added his fourth on the stroke of the break to make it 12-3.
France coach Bernard Laporte had seen enough and was already walking down the tunnel as Elissalde stroked it over. He was present, though, when the Toulouse star added another in the 55th minute to give France some breathing space.
The mercurial genius that is Michalak created the moment that broke Ireland, as his delightful chip into space over Ireland's defence saw Clerc run on to score. Elissalde failed with the boot, making the score 20-3 with 20 minutes remaining.
Ireland was imploding and it all but reached its nadir when the vastly experienced lock Paul O'Connell, who with fellow British and Irish Lion Donncha O'Callaghan had been bested throughout the night by their opposite numbers, was yellow-carded by White in the 63rd minute.
Clerc then added his second try deep in the right-hand corner after he twisted and turned to foil Andrew Trimble and O'Gara's efforts to stop him. That effectively ended Irish interest in the tournament.
O'Driscoll, though, insisted that although bowed, the Irish had not given up all hopes of still making the last eight.
"We need a massive result for this next match (against Argentina)," he said. "I don't know exactly the combination of points we need but I'll think about it tomorrow. For the moment we're just disappointed."
Agence France-Presse