Rugby
Ireland draw first blood in the Six Nations─── MORGAN PIEK 07:24 Sat, 03 Feb 2024
“I think when you’re playing against 14 men for a long period, sometimes subconsciously you tend to shut up shop a little bit more. I thought our intent was pretty good and we were pretty ruthless when we needed to be.”
Ireland drew first blood in the 2024 Six Nations on Friday night with a convincing 38-17 win against a 14-man France at Stade Velodrome in Marseille.
The Irish were in control of the game from the onset, while there were moments when the French were threatening and had they not had a man sent off in the first half, things may have been a lot closer. Jamison Gibson-Park and Tadhg Beirne each scored a try for the Irish in the first half, while Jack Crowley converted both tries. The prolific winger Damian Penaud scored for the French on the stroke of half time.
The South African-born French lock, Paul Willemse, was shown a red card in the first half after receiving two yellow cards. First he was sin-binned for a dangerous cleanout that made contact to the head of an Irish player. Mere minutes after his return from the naughty chair he was issued a second yellow card, but this time it was for a dangerous tackle which also made contact to the neck and head region of a visiting player.
In the second stanza, Calvin Nash was the first to cross the whitewash for the Irish, but the French struck back through Paul Gabrillagues.
Two more tries by first Dan Sheehan and then Ronan Kelleher sealed the victory for the reigning Six Nations champions.
“I suppose the main thing for me would have been our ability to just stay on it for the full 80 minutes and keep attacking the game,” said the Irelands’ coach, Andy Farrell.
“I think when you’re playing against 14 men for a long period, sometimes subconsciously you tend to shut up shop a little bit more. I thought our intent was pretty good and we were pretty ruthless when we needed to be.”
On Saturday at 16:15, Italy will face England at Stadio Olimpico in Rome. At 18:45, Wales will entertain Scotland at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
Scorers:
France: Tries - Damian Penaud, Paul Gabrillagues Conv. - Thomas Ramos 2 Pen. - Ramos
Ireland: Tries - Jamison Gibson-Park, Tadhg Beirne, Calvin Nash, Dan Sheehan, Ronan Kelleher Conv. - Jack Crowley 5 Pen. - Crowley
Morgan Piek OFM Sport
