France upstage Ireland in soggy arm-wrestle
On a soggy pitch, in the face of persistent rain, the French scored the only try 10 minutes from time – after a period of sustained pressure.
It was France's first victory over Ireland since 2011, a late converted Maxime Medard try producing an unlikely 10-9 victory to make it two from two in this year's Six Nations.
The victory was based on the superiority of the French pack, with their powerful scrum laying the foundation for the match-winning try.
Ireland will also be sweating over the fitness of star loose forward Sean O'Brien, who hobbled off early in the first half against France.
The injury-plagued back row forward appeared to jar his left knee as he tried to sidestep a French tackle in the 20th minute and was immediately replaced by Tommy O'Donnell.
The game was O'Brien's first international appearance since Ireland's win against France in the World Cup last October.
He did manage to limp off the pitch with some assistance, but there was no immediate medical update.
And wing Dave Kearney also left the field in the first half with a painful shoulder injury.
Such was the disparity between the two sides over the opening hour, it would not be harsh to say France, 23-21 winners over Italy in their opening match last weekend, snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
Two-time defending champions Ireland, who opened their campaign with a bruising 16-all draw against Wales, were completely dominant against a toothless French side in the first 60 minutes, but were unable to convert that pressure into points.
Jonathan Sexton kicked three penalties to one from Jules Plisson in the first-half, before Medard crossed for the decisive try, converted by Plisson, the result of some outstanding forward pressure.
Ireland opened the match in dominant fashion, pinning the home side back deep in their own half.
Sexton spurned a pot at goal in the sixth minute after France strayed offside, instead going for the corner flag, but a knock-on put paid to any hopes of scoring points.
In slick conditions at a packed out Stade de France, handling proved testing at times, with both teams producing numerous knock-ons.
When lock Yoann Maestri took out Sexton in the 14th minute with a shoulder charge off the ball, the Irish flyhalf made no mistake with the penalty.
The French seemed rudderless in managing their gameplan, a misfiring line-out and under-pressure scrum at set-piece aligned with silly moments of ill-discipline to hand the advantage to Ireland.
Sexton booted his second penalty just before the half-hour mark after a French ruck infringement on the edge of their 22-metre area.
A lazy effort to roll away from a ruck by Devin Toner handed Plisson a chance at goal just minutes later, the Stade Francais playmaker nailing France's first points of the rugged encounter.
That preceded France's first real passage of sustained attack, ended by a Plisson drop-goal that drifted wide.
Sexton hit his third three-pointer as the French scrum worryingly imploded, Plisson then missing his second, to take Ireland into the break 9-3 up.
The second period saw Noves ring the changes to shore up the scrum and add some zip into the backline.
A more open game promptly followed, Guirado opting for a kick to touch instead of a relatively simple penalty effort for Plisson in the 63rd minute.
Andrew Trimble was on hand to palm down what would have been a try-making pass by Plisson, but French tails were up.
France re-mobilised well and were denied a try by the television match official George Ayoub after driving over the Irish line.
Bolstered by replacement props Eddy Ben Arous and Rabah Slimani, the home side was awarded a series of penalties in front of the posts and opted for three scrums instead of taking the points.
With the backing of a vociferous crowd, the pressure eventually paid off, fullback Medard slicing over the line after a nice dart and pass by Maxime Machenaud.
Plisson kicked the extras to seal an unlikely victory and leave the Irish scratching their heads.
Man of the match: CJ Stander was once again at the forefront of the Irish onslaught, with Rob Kearney and Rob Henshaw looking at times. Tommy O'Donnell also made a heap of tackles. Maxime Medard kept asking questions of the Irish defence, Virimi Vakatawa had a few decent runs, while Jules Plisson was another among the French backs who impressed. Guilhem Guirado showed why he was made French captain, but our award goes to France No.8 Damien Chouly – who was strong with the ball in hand and one of the most productive players on defence.
Moment of the match: Obviously the Maxime Médard try in the 70th minute was the decisive play, but our award goes the referee Jaco Peyper, who dove into a ruck on the Irish tryline in the 65th minute to see if the French had scored a try – seldom does a match official get that close to the action.
Villain of the match: Nobody.
The scorers:
For France:
Try: Médard
Con: Plisson
Pens: Plisson
For Ireland:
Pens: Sexton 3
Teams:
France: 15 Maxime Médard, 14 Teddy Thomas, 13 Maxime Mermoz, 12 Jonathan Danty, 11 Virimi Vakatawa, 10 Jules Plisson, 9 Sébastien Bézy, 8 Damien Chouly, 7 Yacouba Camara, 6 Wenceslas Lauret, 5 Yoann Maestri, 4 Alexandre Flanquart, 3 Uini Atonio, 2 Guilhem Guirado (captain), 1 Jefferson Poirot.
Replacements: 16 Camille Chat, 17 Rabah Slimani, 18 Eddy Ben Arous, 19 Paul Jedrasiak, 20 Loann Goujon, 21 Maxime Machenaud, 22 Jean-Marc Doussain, 23 Hugo Bonneval.
Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Andrew Trimble, 13 Jared Payne, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Dave Kearney, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sean O'Brien, 6 CJ Stander, 5 Devin Toner, 4 Mike McCarthy, 3 Nathan White, 2 Rory Best (captain), 1 Jack McGrath.
Replacements: 16 Richard Strauss, 17 James Cronin, 18 Tadhg Furlong, 19 Donnacha Ryan, 20 Tommy O'Donnell, 21 Eoin Reddan, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Fergus McFadden.
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Stuart Berry (South Africa)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)
Agence France-Presse & @rugby365com
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