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:
The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) is delighted to announce the return of the ‘A’ Interprovincial Men’s Championship which will kick off next month.
The times and dates of the opening three rounds of the Championship before Christmas have been confirmed, with a similar points-scoring system as used in the URC. A Championship winner will be declared after the final round of matches in May and the IRFU will be commissioning a legacy trophy to mark the 150th anniversary celebrations.
Welcoming the news, IRFU Performance Director David Humphreys commented:
“We’re delighted to kick-start the Men’s ‘A’ Interprovincial Championship which will provide a host of players with a further means of developing in a meaningful competition. With the success of the Emerging Ireland Tours, coupled with the return of an ‘A’ international against England next year, it is vital that we continue to provide players at provincial and Club levels with opportunities to impress outside of the traditional URC and EPCR fixture windows.
“Discussions have been ongoing for some time to provide players with meaningful games and all four provinces are unanimously supportive of this competition. It is also great to see provinces taking matches around their local Clubs.
“It is anticipated that as the competition progresses over the coming seasons these fixtures won’t clash with Energia All-Ireland League fixtures for the most part, thus potentially also offering players from the Club game with an opportunity to impress.
“This competition will form another important part of the representative pathway from Energia AIL to URC levels for Academy players upwards over the coming seasons.”
The dates for the post-Christmas fixtures will be confirmed in due course. Ticket details will be confirmed via the respective provinces.
IRFU 150 Interprovincial ‘A’ Championship Fixtures:
Saturday, 16th November:
Connacht Eagles v Leinster ‘A’ (Creggs RFC, 1pm)
Friday, 22nd November:
Ulster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles (Ballymacaran Park, 3pm), Leinster ‘A’ v Munster ‘A’ (Lakelands, 5pm)
Friday, 29th November:
Munster ‘A’ v Ulster ‘A’ (New Ormond Park, 3pm)
Friday, 20th December:
Ulster ‘A’ v Munster ‘A’ (tbc, 3pm)
Saturday, 21st December:
Leinster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles (Ollie Campbell Park, 2pm)
Weekend of 28/29 December:
Connacht Eagles v Ulster ‘A’ (tbc), Munster ‘A’ v Leinster ‘A’ (tbc)
Weekend of 9/10 May:
Connacht Eagles v Munster ‘A’ (tbc), Leinster ‘A’ v Ulster ‘A’ (tbc)
Weekend of 16/17 May:
Munster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles (tbc), Ulster ‘A’ v Leinster ‘A’ (tbc)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
The Emerging Ireland team to face the Cheetahs in the final game of the three-match series in Bloemfontein on Wednesday evening (kick off 6pm Irish time, 7pm local time) has been named.
Leinster’s James Culhane will lead the team and he forms a new back-row alongside Harry Sheridan and Sean Edogbo, who makes his first start of the tour having come on as a replacement in the 29-24 win over Western Force on Sunday afternoon. Former Ireland Under-20 captain Evan O’Connell locks down with Darragh Murray, who featured in the opening 36-24 victory over the Pumas, with Alex Usanov named in the front row alongside hooker Stephen Smyth and Jack Aungier.
Darragh Murray of Emerging Ireland scores his sides second try – Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Steve Haag Sports/Darren Stewart
In the backline, Sam Prendergast starts his third game of the tour at out-half and he will be partnered by Cormac Foley, who featured as a second half replacements against the Australian Super Rugby side last time out. Connacht’s Hugh Gavin forms a midfield partnership with Hugh Cooney, with Ulster’s Zac Ward named in an exciting back tree alongside the returning Ben O’Connor at full-back and Andrew Osborne who moves to the right wing.
Munster loosehead prop George Hadden, who was called up to the squad last weekend, is set to make his first appearance after being named on the bench alongside Conor O’Tighearnaigh and Alex Soroka who started Sunday’s win. Hadden’s provincial team-mate Danny Sheahan provides cover once more at hooker, while Scott Wilson and Charlie Tector are also named on the bench for the Toyota Stadium clash alongside out-half Jack Murphy.
Looking ahead to the game, Emerging Ireland Head Coach Simon Easterby said: “When we set out at the beginning of our pre-camp in Dublin, we knew about the challenge of facing three sides in a week and we knew that every player in the group would have the opportunity to play his part. To a man each player has given his all so far and we are aiming to finish off the series with another positive performance on Wednesday.
The Cheetahs are a fiercely proud and strong side and it should be a lively game with a vocal home support behind them. It has been a fruitful past few weeks to date and we have learned a lot. While our performances haven’t been perfect, the players have embraced the challenge and played some brilliant rugby at times. The action has come thick and fast and we know that we have to be clinical in our execution. We will need to go up another level on Wednesday to get the performance we want and hopefully finish the tour on a high.”
Wednesday’s game will be broadcast once more on IrishRugby+ – click here.
Emerging Ireland (v The Cheetahs, Wednesday, October 9, 7pm local time, 6pm Irish time)
15: Ben O’Connor (UCC RFC/Munster)
14: Andrew Osborne (Naas RFC/Leinster)
13: Hugh Cooney (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
12: Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
11: Zac Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster/Ireland Sevens)
10: Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
9: Cormac Foley (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
1: Alex Usanov (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
2: Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
3: Jack Aungier (Clontarf FC/Connacht)
4: Evan O’Connell (Young Munster RFC/Munster)
5: Darragh Murray (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)
6: Harry Sheridan (Dublin University FC/Ulster)
7: Sean Edogbo (UCC RFC/Munster)
8: James Culhane (UCD RFC/Leinster) (captain)
Replacements:
16: Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution FC/Munster)
17: George Hadden (Garryowen FC/Munster)
18: Scott Wilson (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
19: Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster)
20: Alex Soroka (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
21: Matthew Devine (Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
22: Jack Murphy (Clontarf FC/Ulster)
23: Charlie Tector (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Following Emerging Ireland’s 29-24 victory over Western Force in Bloemfontein on Sunday three players, Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Sean O’Brien (Munster) and Jude Postlethwaite (Ulster) will return to their provinces.
The trio will leave South Africa on Monday afternoon and will be available for selection for their respective URC fixtures this weekend.
The squad will visit Heidedal Township this afternoon and will conclude the three-match series on Wednesday evening against The Cheetahs (kick off 7pm local, 6pm Irish time). That match will be live on irishrugby+
Watch the full match back here on irishrugby+
Check out the highlights from the win against Western Force below.
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
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IRFU Announces Return Of ‘A’ Interprovincial Championship
