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Battling Ireland fall to defeat in Six Nations opener against France

Updated / Saturday, 23 Mar 2024 22:04
Marine Menager of France scores their second try
Marine Menager of France scores their second try

Ireland opened their Women's Guinness Six Nations campaign with a 38-17 defeat to France, but they produced a performance that was a marked improvement on last season's loss.

It was new head coach Scott Bemand’s first taste of championship action and while Ireland were ultimately outclassed by a superior opposition, there were moments of real promise ahead of next Sunday’s home clash with Italy.

Lineout woes re-emerged, however, and a couple of defensive lapses led to first-half French tries as Ireland struggled to deal with the superb scrum-half Pauline Bourdon Sansus, who scored the first and set up the second try.

Three lineout-maul tries followed in the second half for the hosts to put the result beyond doubt, but Aoife Wafer and Aoife Dalton scored late tries to give Ireland some consolation.

Ireland had never won away to Les Bleues and after last season's wooden spoon campaign, which included a 53-3 defeat to 14-player France, expectations centred around a more cohesive performance rather than a result at the Stade Marie-Marvingt in Le Mans, which welcomed 14,000 spectators.

The loss of co-captain Sam Monaghan to injury during the week didn’t help either but France’s first try, when it came in the third minute, was still too easy.

France won a clean lineout and mauled towards the Irish line with Bourdon Sansus peeling off the back to run in unhindered. Out-half Lina Queyroi, who finished with four conversions and a penalty to her name, added the extras.

More pressure followed but Ireland were next on the scoresheet when out-half Nicola Fowley landed a kick from distance after Ireland forced a scrum penalty.

But France camped in the Irish half and only good defensive plays by Neve Jones, Britanny Hogan and Hannah O’Connor kept the scoreline down.

France were dominating play without making a breakthrough and on the few occasions Ireland wing Béibhinn Parsons got the ball she found herself quickly surrounded.

A loss of concentration allowed France in for a second with Wafer getting tempted at the side of a ruck. The flanker went after Bourdon Sansus but left a gap for Marine Menager to rush through and race in for their second in the 32nd minute.

Queyroi added a penalty just before the break after Edel McMahon was penalised for obstruction and France went in with a 17-3 advantage.

But Ireland had spent a lot of energy in defence and France put the pressure on after the break.

Player of the match Madoussou Fall was the first to take advantage, barging over after a number of phases close to the line.

Kelly Arbey had a try disallowed as Ireland struggled to deal with France’s fast offloading game and the bonus-point try followed when another lineout maul undid the Irish defence, this time hooker Agathe Sochat at the end of the move.

Ireland grabbed the first of two late tries when Wafer took on the ball on the second phase of a tap and go penalty move and showed great power to drive over under the posts, making the conversion easy for Dannah O’Brien, who had replaced Fowley at half-time in a tactical substitution.

Replacement hooker Elisa Riffonneau peeled off a lineout maul in response for France’s fifth but Ireland had the last say when Dalton pounced on a mistake by Lina Tuy and was in place to dot down.

Monaghan should be fit to feature against Italy at the RDS next weekend and Ireland will feel they have a real shot at claiming a first Six Nations win in two years.

France: Emilie Boulard; Kelly Arbey, Nassira Konde, Gabrielle Vernier, Marine Menager; Lina Queyroi, Pauline Bourdon Sansus; Annaelle Deshaye, Agathe Sochat, Assia Khalfaoui; Manae Feleu (capt), Madoussou Fall; Charlotte Escudero, Gaelle Hermet, Romane Menager.

Replacements: Elisa Riffonneau, Ambre Mwayembe, Clara Joyeux, Kiara Zago, Emeline Gros, Alexandra Chambon, Lina Tuy, Morgane Bourgeois.

Ireland: Lauren Delany; Katie Corrigan, Eve Higgins, Aoife Dalton, Béibhinn Parsons; Nicole Fowley, Aoibheann Reilly; Linda Djougang, Neve Jones, Christy Haney; Dorothy Wall, Hannah O'Connor; Aoife Wafer, Edel McMahon (capt), Brittany Hogan.

Replacements: Sarah Delaney, Niamh O'Dowd, Sadhbh McGrath, Fiona Tuite, Grace Moore, Molly Scuffil-McCabe, Dannah O'Brien, Méabh Deely.

Referee: Kat Roche (USAR)

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