6 Nations
France Win Incredible Encounter Against Wales
France have kept their Grand Slam dreams alive with another impressive win, this time against current title holders Wales
France have come out 27-23 winners in a Six Nations classic against Wales at the Principality Stadium this evening to keep their Grand Slam hopes alive.
In what was an end to end game the visitors managed to sneak past their hosts despite spending a quarter of the game with a man less in what was a remarkable performance.
It was Wales who made a more positive start to the game and were rewarded early on as fly-half Dan Biggar smashed over a penalty from 35-metres out to put the hosts in front.
However, France came roaring back and within a couple of minutes they went over for the opening try of the game as Leigh Halfpenny failed to cope with a kick from Romain Ntamack, which French full-back Anthony Bouthier gathered up the ball and raced under the posts. Ntamack knocked the conversion through the posts to hand the away side the lead.
The fly-half put further distance between the two sides on 18 minutes as he sent a lovely penalty kick between the uprights to put Les Bleus 10-3 up.
With 26 minutes on the clock Biggar cut into the visitors lead as he slotted a simple penalty over to make it 10-6.
France once again came back after Wales scored and struck for their second try just before the half-hour mark as they took down a line-out inside the Welsh 22 before lock Paul Willemse peeled off the maul and burst through two tacklers to touch-down in the left corner. Ntamack thumped the extras over once more to stretch the lead out to 17-6.
Four minutes later and Wales looked as though they were going to get in for a five-pointer themselves, but had to settle for another three-points from the boot of Biggar, who kicked another penalty.
With a minute left in the half France were reduced to 14-men as No 8 Gregory Alldritt was shown a yellow-card after the French conceded a number of penalties in quick succession.
Wales pounded away at the opposition for over five minutes after the clock had gone into the red zone, but they couldn’t take advantage as they eventually knocked-on meaning the score was 17-9 heading in at half-time, with the French showing some serious determination to keep Wales at bay at the end of the half.
France managed to cope for the remainder of the sin-binning without conceding any scores but within a couple of minutes of returning to their full compliment Wales got their try as Dillon Lewis latched onto a loose ball beside the French line and powered over beside the posts. Biggar had the simple job of tipping over the conversion to make it a one-point game at 17-16 to France.
The away side put themselves further in front with just under 30 minutes left on the clock as Ntamack intercepted a pass down Wales’ left as they looked to attack and he charged down the field to put the ball down for the try. He converted his own score to put France 24-17 ahead.
France extended their lead on 64 minutes as Ntamack blasted a long-range penalty over to leave the score at 27-16 to the visitors heading into the final quarter of an hour.
The away team were reduced to 14-men for the second time in the game as Mohamed Haouas was shown yellow after Wales won several penalties at scrum-time. However, there was a huge momentum swing at the next scrum as Damba Bamba came in and helped his side win a scrum against the head on their own five-metre line despite having centre Gael Fickou at No 8.
Wales set up a grandstand finish with five minutes left however, as they broke into the French 22 again and this time they weren’t to be stopped as Biggar crashed over the line from close-range. Following a TMO review the try was awarded and he like Ntamack converted his own try to put them within touching distance of a result with the score at 27-23.
Despite Wales throwing their all at the French over the final minutes they couldn’t find a way through meaning France claimed a first win on Welsh soil since 2010.
Next up for Wales is another tough test as they head to Twickenham to face England, while France will look to keep their Grand Slam hopes alive when they take on Scotland at Murrayfield.
Player Ratings
Starting XV:
Leigh Halfpenny (6), George North (4), Nick Tompkins (8), Hadleigh Parkes (6), Josh Adams (6), Dan Biggar (8), Gareth Davies (6); Wyn Jones (6), Ken Owens (7), Dillon Lewis (7), Jake Ball (6), Alun Wyn Jones (7), Ross Moriarty (7), Justin Tipuric (6), Taulupe Faletau (6)
Replacements (7)
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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