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Ireland U20s no match for French power in Cork

Updated / Friday, 7 Mar 2025 23:00
Eoghan Smyth of Ireland is tackled by Baptiste Tilloles of France
Eoghan Smyth of Ireland is tackled by Baptiste Tilloles of France

Ireland U20 12-22 France U20

Ireland's U20s endured another difficult night as they fell to a third defeat from four in the 2025 Six Nations, going down 22-12 to a powerful France side in Cork.

The visitors were dominant throughout against Neil Doak's side, and arguably should have won by considerably more, were it not for a dogged Irish defence and some dreadful French indiscipline, which gave away three first half yellow cards.

The scoreline ultimately flattered Ireland, who scored with the final play of both the first and second halves, but never looked like pulling off a shock win to reignite their campaign.

Michael Foy was a standout for the hosts, and repeatedly foiled the French maul. The Cork flanker did conceded a number of penalties across the 80 minutes, but the 19-year-old kept Ireland in the contest with a series of interventions in his own 22.

Scrum-half Will Wootton also impressed on a difficult night, where he had to play behind a pack that was dominated. Wootton kicked brilliantly into a strong wind in the opening half, while his determination snuffed out what looked like a certain French try, taking advantage of some carelessness by Noa Traversier (below) to force the flanker into fumbling at the tryline.

Traversier was one of three French players to be sin-binned in the opening half, which left the visitors down to 12 men for just under two minutes, although they got through those cards to retain their 15-7 lead, before adding a bonus point score on 52 minutes.

Ireland absorbed an enormous amount of pressure as they played into the wind in the opening half.

Tom Wood's late intervention prevented an early French try, forcing Tom Leveque into a knock-on as he attempted to ground the ball, but the visitors eventually broke the Irish resistance on 16 minutes when Jon Echegaray finished off a brilliant attack, France moving from one touchline to the other to pull the Irish defence apart.

Four minutes later they were in again. Attacking a narrow blind side, some quick handling put Leveque clear to score, and although both conversions were missed, the score looked ominous at 10-0.

They should have had a third when Traversier's mistake gave Ireland a reprieve, and the French flanker compounded that error by picking up the first of his side's yellow cards on 31 minutes for a tip-tackle on Wood.

Ireland had been dealing well with the French maul in the opening half, but on 35 minutes that was eventually breached when Lyam Akrab grabbed his team's third try, which made it 15-0, although the hooker appeared to lose control of the ball as he grounded it.

Another yellow card would arrive for France on 38 minutes when Bartholome Sanson cynically played the ball at a maul, and from the resulting attack Ireland were awarded a penalty try when Echegaray slapped down a pass as Ireland looked to take advantage of an overlap.

The full-back became the third French player yellow-carded, which left the score at 15-7 at the break.

They were back to 13 players a minute into the second half, and held Ireland out for the remaining eight or so minutes to get back to the full complement, and killed the game off on 53 minutes when Akrab burrowed over off another maul, which effectively killed the game off at 22-7.

Ireland refused to buckle though, and some belligerent defending by Foy in particular prevented the French from running away with the contest.

And that determination was rewarded with a consolation try with the final play of the game, when Mangan crossed in the left corner.

Ireland U20 scorers: Tries: Penalty try, Ciarán Mangan

France U20 scorers: Tries: Jon Echegaray, Tom Leveque, Lyam Akrab (2)

Cons: Luka Keletaona (1)

Ireland U20: Daniel Green; Charlie Molony, Gene O'Leary Kareem, Eoghan Smyth, Ciarán Mangan; Tom Wood, Will Wootton; Billy Bohan, Mikey Yarr, Alex Mullan; Mahon Ronan, Billy Corrigan; Michael Foy, Bobby Power, Éanna McCarthy (capt)

Replacements: Henry Walker, Paddy Moore, Tom McAllister, Conor Kennelly, David Walsh, Clark Logan, Sam Wisniewski, Connor Fahy.

France U20: Jon Echegaray; Tom Leveque, Simeli Daunivucu, Fabien Brau Boirie, Nolann Donguy; Luka Keletaona, Baptiste Tilloles; Samuel Jean Christophe, Lyam Akrab, Mohamed Megherbi; Bartholome Sanson, Corentin Mezou (capt), Antoine Deliance, Noa Traversier, Baptiste Britz

Replacements: Quentin Algay, Edouard-Junior Jabea Njocke, Jean-Yves Liufau, Jacques Nguimbous, Sialevailea Tolofua, Raphael Darquier, Jean Cotarmanc'h, Oliver Cowie

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Watch Ireland v France in the Six Nations on Saturday from 1.15pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app. Listen to live commentary with Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1.

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