FRA
No.Name
15Clement Poitrenaud, FB
T
14Vincent Clerc, W
13Mathieu Bastareaud, C
12Yannick Jauzion, C
T
11Alexis Palisson, W
10Francois Trinh-Duc, FH
9Morgan Parra, SH
3
2
1Thomas Domingo, P
2William Servat, H
T
3Nicolas Mas, P
4Lionel Nallet, L
5Pascal Pape, L
6Thierry Dusautoir, FL
7Fulgence Ouedraogo, FL
8Imanol Harinordoquy, N8
Replacements
16Dimitri Szarzewski, H
17Sylvain Marconnet, P
18Julien Pierre, L
19Julien Bonnaire, N8
20Frederic Michalak, C
21David Marty, W
22Julien Malzieu, W

*Players currently on the pitch are shown in bold

Game Info

Venue: Stade de France
4:30 PM, February 13, 2010
Attendance: 80,000
All CommentaryKey Events

Match Commentary

81'Brian O'Driscoll: "handling errors, "unforced errors", "not taking opportunities". O'Driscoll knows where it went wrong for Ireland. He feels they didn't have the composure or precision to cause the French problems. He looks pretty devastated and by the sounds of it so are the rest of the dressing room. After all they have just lost a 12 match and 15 month unbeaten run in the 6 Nations. Today is all about the French though, who have really laid down a marker. Not only are they playing rugby to win the tournament, they are playing rugby that you'll really want to watch. Please join us on scrum tomorrow for Italy v England and in 2 weeks time for the next round of 6 Nations matches. I hope you enjoyed following the game with me, bye for now.
81'33-10 End of half
81'33-10 End of half
81'33-10 End of second half
80'That's the whistle. It's all over, although in truth it's been over for a while. The margin and the nature of that defeat will hurt the Irish, they were beaten in all areas of the game, other than the lineout, which probably kept the French from securing utter dominance. The French were hugely impressive, though; their defence was voracious and never allowed Ireland into the game. When they got the chance to attack they showed the ability to run with pace, power and, most importantly, move the ball fluidly through hands. There is certainly no argument about who are the favourites now. At the final whistle the crowd really responded to that performance. The French team milk it, it may only be the second game but they feel happy enough to take a circuit of the field, clapping the crowd and receiving their appreciation in return. Always makes you want to see a team lose, that. Seems very premature (although hard to say exactly why it should be premature!). Keith Woods again "For the last two weeks France have really delivered. They were lethal when they needed to be. They are really playing very, very well now". Rafael Ibanez points out how disciplined the French were; it's something that has often been lacking from their game but they really showed those qualities today, in contrast to the Irish. And one from Gabby Logan now, who agrees with Ibanez that 'clumsy' is the right word for the Irish handling today. That's about right, with handling like that they were never in with a chance.
79'O'Driscoll shows signs of what he is capable of with a half break before spinning the ball wide for Bowe. Typically, though, when the ball is worked to the other side of the field aggressive French tackling forces a knock-on.
79'33-10 Drop goal - Frederic Michalak , France
78'Drop Goal Michalak this time. Again it was all made possible by really solid mauling and driving from the French forwards. Michalak had plenty of space and time to line up his kick.
75'Crunch! Szarzewski stops O'Connell dead and sits him down. O'Connell hangs onto the ball and Ireland have a scrum but he looks like he felt that. It's been a feature of the French game: aggressive blitz defence and big hits to break up Irish momentum. And now they shove Ireland off their ball. They're enjoying their dominance here and look like they don't want it blighted by Irish scores.
74'The lineout is won and Ireland have a good chance to attack here, which they do. Forwards and backs are all getting a chance to take the ball up as they work their way through several phases.
74'Substitute on - Julien Pierre , France
74'Player substituted - Pascal Pape , France
73'The Irish pack are looking as strong now as they have all game and mess up a French scrum. The penalty is put into touch for the lineout, which as been far and away the strongest aspect of their game all day.
73'Player substituted - Sylvain Marconnet , France
73'Substitute on - Nicolas Mas , France
71'Ireland have not rolled over here, really strong counter rucking wins them the ball. O'Driscoll chips across field for D'Arcy who collects and holds his man. It's the story of their day though, as the covering tacklers come in and knock the ball from his hands.
69'There was a late hit in that move and when the French have no advantage it is brought back to just inside the French hald for a penalty. Parra has a chance to increase his contribution. he makes it look easy. France happy to take the shots at goal. They look like they consider it job done and just want to maintain a comfortable lead.
69'Substitute on - Eoin Reddan , Ireland
69'Player substituted - Tomas O'Leary , Ireland
69'Substitute on - Johnny Sexton , Ireland
69'Player substituted - Ronan O'Gara , Ireland
69'30-10 Penalty goal - Morgan Parra , France
68'The game is really opening up now. Ireland are trying to run the ball from everywhere. Heaslip makes good ground but is ambitious with an unsighted reverse pass. When it goes loose Poitrenaud, as he has all day, he initiates the flowing counter.
68'Substitute on - Frederic Michalak , France
68'Player substituted - Yannick Jauzion , France
67'Off the post For once, something doesn't go France's way, as Parra has an opportunity but he can only find the post and it bounces back out for the Irish to clear.
65'Ireland will need a lot more of that, they're still 3 scores behind. And it doesn't appear to have unsettled the French just yet as Trinh-Duc launches a beautiful kick down the tramlines, which spins into touch deep in the Irish half.
65'27-10 Conversion - Ronan O'Gara , Ireland
65'27-8 Try - David Wallace , Ireland
64'Irish TRY! That's better. Ferris is the slightly unlikely man to initiate a flowing move down the wing. He pops the ball inside to O'Driscoll, who finds Wallace in space and it's a try under the posts.
63'27-3 Drop goal - Morgan Parra , France
62'Drop Goal Immense strength from Bastareaud who picks up Earls, carries him backwards before ripping the ball from him. The ball is quickly spun to Parra in acres of space, who has time to line up a drop goal from a fair way out. It's flat and true and France are looking in celebratory mood already.
62'Substitute on - Julien Bonnaire , France
62'Player substituted - Imanol Harinordoquy , France
61'Substitute on - Donnacha Ryan , Ireland
61'Player substituted - Leo Cullen , Ireland
61'Substitute on - Rory Best , Ireland
61'Player substituted - Jerry Flannery , Ireland
61'24-3 Conversion - Morgan Parra , France
60'Having gone into this tournament as give-or-take favourites along with France, Ireland's main concern now is to avoid this becoming a confidence crushing obliteration.
59'22-3 Try - Clement Poitrenaud , France
58'Lovely TRY The French are intent on proving Graham right and score from a backs move out of the base of a ruck. it goes through hands quickly until it reaches Bastareaud, who used his strength to hold off the man and flick a lovely back-handed pass to Poitrenaud. The Irish defence is just too stretched to get a hand on him.
57'Even the kicking game is working for them, albeit indirectly. Keith Earls does well to mark a high ball under pressure but tries to take it quickly and cleverly, only to knock on giving the dominant French scrum position in the Irish 22 and midfield.
56'Graham Jenkins at the Stade de France tweets "France really are a feast for the eyes sometimes - Ireland have been run ragged and I only expect more from the hosts". Quite so, but they're also now showing the strength of their forward game as well. A French maul is driven and rolled forward with great control. It gains 20 yards and some leg-sapping superiority over the Irish pack.
53'Better from the Irish. A couple of running moves get them behind the gameline and they make significant ground into the French half. First O'Gara runs a loop with O'Driscoll then O'Leary breaks and links with Heaslip. The final pass is knocked-on, but at least Ireland are now in the part of the field where they have a chance of getting scores on the board.
50'So close for Ireland, but again, it's the French who come closest to scoring. A long and looping pass is almost intercepted by an Irish midfielder (sorry, I missed who it was) but it evades him by inches. Trinh-Duc accelerates into the gap that is left behind and is only a few feet short of the line.
50'Substitute on - Sylvain Marconnet , France
50'Player substituted - Nicolas Mas , France
50'Player substituted - William Servat , France
50'Substitute on - Dimitri Szarzewski , France
49'Substitute on - Tom Court , Ireland
49'Player substituted - John Hayes , Ireland
48'Bundled into touch a yard short of the line! That's Malzieu of France, not an Irishman. He chipped ahead, hacked on again and collected the ball, but was hopelessly outnumbered by Irish defenders. Still, it's attacking and incisive stuff from the French and for the last 5 minutes Ireland have been playing in their own half.
48'Player substituted - Vincent Clerc , France
48'Substitute on - David Marty , France
47'Another error from Ireland. O'Connell knocks on when the Irish have good turnover ball, following a Poitrenaud slip on the halfway line. Whenever they seem to have a chance, they spurn it due to a lack of precision.
46'More difficulties in the scrum. To be fair, the ground is cutting up badly and the ref, Wayne Barnes, is aware of this and moves it a couple of times to find solid footing.
45'And we're upstairs. O'Driscoll mishandles and it is hacked through, only desparate covering work by Heaslip prevents Vincent Clerc picking up cleanly. It's a knock-on though, and the Irish have a difficult scrum to defend 5 metres from their own line.
43'Ireland are their own worst enemies today. Heaslip makes a half break and nice offload, but it's knocked-on and another attacking opportunity goes begging.
41'Then it's Jauzion's turn as he bounces O'Gara back. Less impressive, but he makes more room and makes 30 yards before he is caught and hauled down.
41'After playing penalty advantage to Ireland for several phases, the penalty is awarded. O'Leary declines the 3 poitns and takes it quickly. A vital passage of play, this. Knock-on. After all that effort they come away with nothing and France go into the break 14 points ahead. They came out fired up at the start of the game, but to no avail. They will have to come out in the second half even more fired up and make early in-roads to get themselves back into this test match.
41'+217-3 End of first half
40'Ireland come out looking to make that early breakthrough and only an excellent early commitment from Jauzion stops O'Driscoll collecting a ball with space in front of him. We then see the power of Bastareaud as he runs the turnover ball back, giving Keith Earls an impressive Maori-style sidestep and bounces him several yards back.
40'Equally unsurprising is the fact that the ball goes to O'Connell who sets a pick-and-drive.
40'17-3 Start of second half
39'If you are going to kick, you want to get an opposition forward chasing back to cover. Tommy Bowe is the chaser and France cannot clear their lines, Nallet is just not quick enough. Ireland have a penalty, what should they do? WIth this field position it is unsurprising that they choose a kick for touch and an attacking lineout.
38'The cutting edge is coming from the French. O'Gara resorts to the Munster game-plan and puts the kick behind. Poitrenaud makes the mark and takes it quickly, makes the halfway line before being cut down.
37'Manful though it is, the Irish attack has come to nothing and they return to a speculative high ball. Eventually France get to clear their lines and it is looking pretty comfortable for them at the moment.
35'Substitute on - Paddy Wallace , Ireland
35'Player substituted - Rob Kearney , Ireland
34'Ireland have a lineout in French territory and launch a few phases of attack. They would dearly love something before halftime so that they can go into the break feeling like they're in this game. It doesn't appear to be happening for them at the moment, though, as they are making neither ground not holes in the French defence.
33'17-3 Conversion - Morgan Parra , France
32'Ireland can't afford to concede any more this half, you think.
32'15-3 Try - Yannick Jauzion , France
31'TRY! Straightforward and direct as from the base of the ruck Bastareaud runs decoy, but the pass misses him out and Jauzion slides over. Crushing stuff for Ireland who are now 14 points behind as the conversion goes over. They need to take this game to the French, and soon.
30'Bastareaud runs a lovely, clean straight line to scythe through the Irish defence. They just about manage to drag down ther big man short of the line.
30'10-3 Penalty goal - Ronan O'Gara , Ireland
29'Ireland have the chance to get on the scoreboard immediately as Ouedraogo obstructs the chasers from the restart. O'Gara does the honours and Ireland are underway, and with 15 men again.
29'Player substituted - Tom Court , Ireland
29'Substitute on - Stephen Ferris , Ireland
28'10-0 Conversion - Morgan Parra , France
28'8-0 Try - William Servat , France
27'TRY At the fifth attempt. Ironically it was Ireland's strongest scrum and forces Harinodiquy to pick up. It goes through a second phase before Servat plonks it down at the base of the post. Parra's conversion is subsequently easy.
25'We have a couple more scrumsas both sides struggle with their footing. Twice the penalty goes against Ireland, twice the French have opted for the scrum. Predictably a bit of fruitiness is a feature of the relationship between the front rows.
24'Player substituted - Alexis Palisson , France
24'Substitute on - Julien Malzieu , France
23'A French rolling maul cuts through the Irish, who are again rushing to get back in defence. It looks like France are going to make the line but the ball remains with a couple of men on the deck. They have the penalty anyway, well into the 22. They're going for the scrum: attacking stuff and they obviously want to take advantage of the 3 remaining minutes of the sinbin. If Ireland hold out here it will be a major blow from them.
22'Ouch! And Ireland could be in trouble here, the referee is conferring with his touch judge. Flannery goes flying in with the boot as Palisson collects the ball off the ground. He takes a lot of the man and none of the ball. It's only a penalty, he's very lucky and the French crowd don't like it.
21'Player substituted - Paddy Wallace , Ireland
21'Substitute on - Brian O'Driscoll , Ireland
20'Substitute on - Tom Court , Ireland
20'Player substituted - Stephen Ferris , Ireland
19'Keith Wood says "the crowd are going ballistic, this is the reason we play rugby". I must admit, we're not qute getting that here, there has been a fair mount of excitement, but neither side have managed to play with consistent quality yet. If you're at the ground, let us know what you think of the atmosphere...
19'Player substituted - Brian O'Driscoll , Ireland
19'Substitute on - Paddy Wallace , Ireland
18'3-0 Penalty goal - Morgan Parra , France
18'Yellow card - Cian Healy , Ireland
17'Parra slots over the moderately easy resulting penalty.
16'Computer's been a bit slow, so I have a bit of catching up to do. O'Connell has pinched his 3rd lineout from the French; D'Arcy makes the best break of the game scything through the midfield- it looked like his chip ahead for himself would fall kindly, but it just bounced out of reach. Finally, the French come back, charging upfield through Harinordiquy and Poitrenaud. Ireland are down to 14 when Healy kills the ball as Ireland try to scramble thier defence.
13'From the Stade de France, our man Graham Jenkins reports: "If the players hands are as cold as mine then I think we're going to see a few dropped passes... " Got to agree with Graham here. The cold does seem to be causing some problems. Follow Graham on Twitter.
11'Heaslip poaches from the resulting French lineout. That's the second that Ireland have stolen from France.
10'Some sustained possession in the French 22 for the Irish, but the French defence has marshalled itself. Eventually O'Gara attempts to kick behind off the outside of the boot, but the ball is charged down. France win the penalty as O'Gara holds on after scrambling back to cover his own mistake.
8'As I say that, Kearney puts up a high ball, which he manages to collect cleanly himself and release some barnstorming runs through Wallace and Heaslip. Ireland get within 5 of the French line.
7'We've had a couple of good passages of play. There's been good use of the kick, particularly by the Irish to keep the French back, but generally, when either side has had good possession they have tried to run or break the line.
3'A Tommy Bowe Gary Owen drifts straight into touch. Both sides have made a few mistakes so far. Probably just have to warm up. And we have the first laugh from my girlfriend (a fluent French-speaker), who thinks Eddie Butler's pronunciation of Harinordoquy makes him sound like the policeman in 'Allo-'Allo. What was his name, anyone?:
2'O'Driscoll makes an early mark on the game, chipping turnover ball over the defence and dragging his man into touch to give the Irish good attacking position.
1'Quick comment from Keith Woods on Irish indiscipline, which is blighting their game: "All I can think of is that it's brain-freeze". And it is easy to believe looking at him. He looks bulkier than any player on the field, so many layers is he sporting.
1'And an early mistake from the Irish as the kick-off is knocked foward, but they are showing some solid aggression in defence to atone for the error.
1'Afternoon all, and welcome to Scrum.com's coverage of this hopefully thrilling match, billed by many to be a potential championship decider, as Les Bleus host Ireland at the Stade de France. This could well be the big one, and let's face it, that's what this tournament is crying out for after a slightly disappointing opening weekend to this 6 Nations. The defending Grand Slam holders will be hoping to improve significantly on their less than thrilling win over Italy last week. Ireland were a long way from their best and we were treated to barely a glimpse of what O'Driscoll's men have to offer. It's only the second weekend, but Declan Kidney will know that his side have no more lifelines to use up and must produce an error-free and inspired performance today to maintain their unbeaten run and keep their dreams of title-defence alive. France will surely come into the home match feeling more confident after a ruthless dismantling of Scotland last weekend. Nevertheless, they have no room to be complacent and might feel that they could have asserted their dominance to rack up a more convincing scoreline- something they may come to regret if the tournament proves to be a close one. Kick-off is at 4:30pm and you can follow of all the action here with me, Jamie Allaway. In the meantime, have a read of Graham Jenkins' Preview, in which he analyses the fascinating head-to-heads in this game. Remember, let us know your thoughts on the game via our facebook page and on Twitter. Calling UK readers - Want to tell us what you think of ESPN and put yourself in with a chance to win tickets to UK sports events or a 32-inch TV? Well then click here to join the ESPN Fan Forum 15:50 Well, amazing result from the Millennium Stadium and this 6 Nations finally gets underway! Let's hope that we have as much excitement in Paris. Kick-off in 40 mins. 16:25 Most of the pre-match build-up focuses on the battle of BOD and Bastareaud. It's a clash of proven class against raw power. Both offer their sides' best chance of breaking in midfield- who do you think is going to come out on top? From Johnny Delgado in Paris: "This game doesn't have much to live up to eh? Still catching my breath here in Paris after that Cardiff crescendo!" Let's hope it does, especially for Johnny, who'll need something to keep him warm- it's a brass monkeys -2 degrees there! 16:31 Here we go!
1'0-0 Start of first half

Six Nations Championship 2010 News