France 19 - 12 Ireland : Post Match Discussion

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Download the match here.
http://rugby.opticon.hu/meccsek/110813VBElokesz-Franciao-Irorsz.avi

France withstood an Irish fightback to secure a deserved World Cup warm-up victory in Bordeaux on Saturday night.

The French dominated the first half and Vincent Clerc's try and two Dimitri Yachvili penalties helped the hosts to a 13-3 lead at the break.

Ireland hit back early in the second half and three penalties from Ronan O'Gara took them to within a point.

O'Gara missed with another penalty attempt before Yachvili fired over two penalties to ensure a French victory.

France were superior from the start in every aspect of the game as the Irish wilted in the heat and high humidity.

Yachvili fired over a fourth minute penalty as the hosts made their early pressure count although Damien Traille sliced a drop-goal attempt wide from close range.

The French went over for the only try on 17 minutes, Clerc collecting an excellent lay-off from Alexis Pailsson before darting over.

Yachvilli added the extras and the scrum-half went to convert an impressive second penalty from wide.

Ronan O'Gara kicks over a second-half penalty against France
A lethargic Ireland failed to muster any attacking threat and continually gifting possession to the French.

At least the Irish finished the first half on a high thanks to an O'Gara penalty after what was a rare venture into the opposition half.

Ireland were a transformed team at the restart, with a new-found urgency in their play and stronger in the tackle.

For the first time Ireland were pushing the French back and the introduction of Munster lock Paul O'Connell provided added impetus.

The pressure resulted in a succession of Irish penalties, with O'Gara impressively coverting three before missing out with a fourth.

Ireland were now just a point adrift but the French regained control thanks to two Yachvili penalties.

The Irish pressed in the final minutes but squandered a five-metre scrum and a line-out close to the French line.

The sides meet again at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin next weekend in another World Cup warm-up game.

France: Traille, Clerc, Marty, Mermoz, Palisson, Trinh-Duc, Yachvili, Marconnet, Szarzewski, Ducalcon, Pierre, Millo-Chluski, Dusautoir, Harinordoquy, Lakafia.

Replacements: Medard for Traille (64), Skrela for Mermoz (26), Parra for Yachvili (77), Poux for Marconnet (54), Guirado for Szarzewski (54), Nallet for Millo-Chluski (58), Bonnaire for Harinordoquy (64).

Ireland: Kearney, Trimble, Earls, P. Wallace, Fitzgerald, O'Gara, Reddan, Healy, Best, Ross, O'Callaghan, Cullen, Ryan, O'Brien, Leamy.

Replacements: Jones for Kearney (46), McFadden for Trimble (67), Murray for Reddan (60), Flannery for Best (60). Not used: Buckley, Heaslip.

Referee: Dave Pearson (RFU)

Well done France

Buckley was the weak link today for Ireland

France played very well. To be fair to Ireland, they did well to come back after the first half.

Scrum and lineout cost Ireland big time today

Best as well Eire Billy. Well the lineout in general but Best was poor

Think all in all very positive for Ireland wasnt our strongest team and if it wasnt for that Muppet Buckley we would have won

Standulstermen wrote:Best as well Eire Billy. Well the lineout in general but Best was poor

In fairness to buckley, poux is one of the best lineouts in the world and he destroyed ross in the two scrums the were both on for.
The main thing to take from the game is that we are screwed if healy or ross get injured and we are in an even worse place without poc. I don't what it is about him but the whole pack raise their game when he was on.

Also Murray really should be going to the world cup, he was very impressive when he came on.

We deserved to lose that game. 5m scrum with 2 minutes to go- lost the ball on our own put-in. Lineout in the corner with 1 minute to go- lost the ball on our own throw. You don't do the basics well, you lose games of rugby. That's the essence of this for me.

There were definitely some positives, but also a real clutch of negatives. Mixed feelings.

Best, Cullen and everything about the lineout was poor. The lifting and the timing was poor as well. Very worrying. O'Connell and Flannery made a HUGE difference to us. Ryan put in a good shift but we miss Ferris badly. Buckley's scrummaging on either side cost us badly and for Fitzgerald it's one step forward, two steps back.

However the 10-12-13 channel for Ireland performed admirably well, all of those players distinguished for us. The tactical kicking game of O'Gara and Wallace functioned well in tandem and in attack they offered a lot going forward. Great cameos from Jones and Murray.

But our set piece was simply not good enough.

Standulstermen wrote:Best as well Eire Billy. Well the lineout in general but Best was poor

Yeah Best didnt have a great game. The scrummaging and lineouts are a major concern. France deserved to win though as they played some very good rugby

Notch wrote:We deserved to lose that game. 5m scrum with 2 minutes to go- lost the ball on our own put-in. Lineout in the corner with 1 minute to go- lost the ball on our own throw. You don't do the basics well, you lose games of rugby. That's the essence of this for me.

There were definitely some positives, but also a real clutch of negatives. Mixed feelings.

Best, Cullen and everything about the lineout was poor. The lifting and the timing was poor as well. Very worrying. O'Connell and Flannery made a HUGE difference to us. Ryan put in a good shift but we miss Ferris badly. Buckley's scrummaging on either side cost us badly and for Fitzgerald it's one step forward, two steps back.

However the 10-12-13 channel for Ireland performed admirably well, all of those players distinguished for us. The tactical kicking game of O'Gara and Wallace functioned well in tandem and in attack they offered a lot going forward. Great cameos from Jones and Murray.

But our set piece was simply not good enough.

The thing with poc though, is that all the other players seem to raise their game, so its harsh comparing the players who played before he came on with those who played with him. The moment when the ball squirted loose from a ruck and poc and dusatoir(i think) dived for it and poc got it, is a thing that poc does all the time but more importantly he expects all the other players to do it as well. Its almost as if though the others raise their game as they're afraid off letting him down/ him shouting at them.

Wallace was very good and I thought earls had a really good game defensively even if he made three mistakes. The pass to fitz was poor, the hack ahead that went out on the full was slightly unlucky and he knocked on once but even sob knocked on 3 or 4 times. I thought at first he should have backed himself or passed to mcfadden but on the replay I think he made the right decision and was unlucky with the bounce.

Reddan was very good in the first half, especially considering we were under so much pressure. Murray impressed and I'd like them to be the combination for the world cup 22 but its probably unlikely.

Download the match here.
http://rugby.opticon.hu/meccsek/110813VBElokesz-Franciao-Irorsz.avi