Six Nations rugby grand slam…
.. Twickenham next stop for the French
(REUTERS)-France won the clash between the last two Six Nations grand slam champions yesterday by coming from behind to beat Ireland 25-22 and set up a potential title decider with England in the next round. Ireland, lucky to grind out an opening day win in Italy last week, showed glimpses of their championship winning form of 2009 to take a three-point halftime lead thanks to tries from wing Fergus McFadden and scrumhalf Tomas O’Leary.
Defending champions France, who kept in touch through the boot of Morgan Para, took the lead for the first time through Maxime Medard’s try on 55 minutes before replacement kicker Dimitri Yachvili extended their margin to 10 points.
Jamie Heaslip pulled a try back for the home side and France had to weather some frenzied late Irish pressure to make it two wins from two.
Ireland started at a ferocious pace, forcing the French back phase after phase to allow fullback Luke Fitzgerald to cross the tryline. The try was ruled out for a pass that had strayed marginally forward.
France, though, were rattled and Clement Poitrenaud, in for the injured Maxime Mermoz, dropped the ball near his own line a minute later and Leinster’s McFadden drove over for his first Irish try in just his second start.
FAST AND LOOSE
The game stayed fast and loose with the visitors starting to force more errors.
French srumhalf Para traded penalties with ever-improving Ireland flyhalf Jonathan Sexton before three more from the cultured left boot of Para edged his side 12-10 in front just before the half hour.
Ireland still looked the more dangerous from open play and upped the tempo once more to pin the French back on their line with O’Leary, passed fit on the morning of the game, sneaking over for a try that Sexton failed to convert.
Ireland continued to be penalised at the ruck and Para drew the sides level on 48 minutes before Medard made the breakthrough seven minutes later.
French centre Aurelien Rougerie used every inch of his towering frame to steamroll over opposite centre Gordon D’Arcy and free up Medard for his seventh international try in just over twice as many starts.
Yachvili slotted the conversion and added a penalty to put the French 10 points in front just after the hour mark.
Irish number eight Heaslip, back from injury after missing last week’s trip to Rome, pulled a converted try back and, but for a Sean Cronin knock-on near the line at the end, Ireland could have got the win they perhaps deserved.