In the opening match of the 2026 Tournament, four tries in the first 50 minutes, then the blackout that reignites the match for a moment but it’s a flash in the pan: the French pass 36-14
An hour of domination is enough for France to secure their first success in the 2026 Six Nations: Ireland was beaten 36-14 in Paris. Les Bleus score 4 tries in 50 minutes against a team that seems like a stand-in for the one seen in recent years, then they fall asleep and concede 14 points in 180 seconds, risking reopening a closed and overwhelmingly dominated match. At the end, Attissogbe’s try puts things back in order and gives credit to a match led from start to finish. Beyond the good final reaction, the many absences (7 starters, from Lowe to Porter, in addition to the suspended Aki) are not enough to justify a performance which overall remains disappointing from Ireland, who will return to the field on Saturday 14th in Dublin against Italy. For France, however, the second match will be on Sunday 15th in Cardiff against Wales.
domain
—
Ready-go and Ollivon narrowly misses the ball kicked by Bielle-Biarrey, who as always had put the Irish defense in crisis. Ireland relies above all on the feet of Osborne and Prendergast, with the latter who in the 8th minute serves a wonderful ball to O’Brien, who is barely contained by an ever attentive Ramos. The match appears to be very blocked, but in the 13th minute the usual Bielle-Biarrey takes care of unblocking it: Moefana opens up space for him on the left, but then the French winger does everything, clearing past Gibson Park, doing the same with a too soft Prendergast and with a body feint also sending Stockdale to the ground, before crushing for the 7-0 with a conversion by Ramos. The try lights up France (and the Stade de France) who monopolize possession of the ball and trap Ireland in their 22. In the 21st minute Depoortere does everything very well, opens space in an Irish defense in trouble but then misses the last pass to Moefana. However, Ireland never gets out of there and a minute later the French try arrives: advancing scrum, Dupont plays on Jalibert who finds his way cleared by O’Brian’s completely wrong defensive climb. The French number 10 thanks and smashes for 12-0, with Ramos post on the conversion. The French goalkeeper made amends shortly afterwards with the score of 15-0, after a senseless foul by McCarthy who intervened in the group despite the referee’s “no”. France is in control of the field and in the 33rd minute they also find their third try: a kick to himself by Jalibert who cuts off the first line of defence, then the forwards do the rest. Gros widens on Guillard, pass inside for Ollivon who goes to crush the goal of the sensational 22-0 with which the first half ends.
blackout
—
In the second half Ireland showed signs of a reaction. A good defense and a good scrum suggest a different second half, but the illusion lasts 6 minutes, the time of yet another Dupont magic, who surprises the Irish defense with a kick to go over and finds Ramos on the run. The French goalkeeper gets there with his foot and with a left wing volley serves Bielle-Biarrey, who opens the throttle again and scores the fourth try, that of the offensive bonus: 29-0. Ireland’s first real action comes in the 59th minute, it comes from a couple of good initiatives by McCloskey, who first puts his teammates on the forward foot with a nice charge, then attacks the line again and finds the offload for Timoney, 29-7. France falls asleep and 3 minutes later they also score the second try: Michael Milne scores it after a long series of advancing charges. In the space of 180 seconds the score becomes 29-14 and Ireland begins a long assault which, however, does not bear fruit, because France defends well, turns the lights back on and in the final takes control of the match and scores again: the newly introduced Serin raises the pace again, the good hands of the French attacking midfield do the rest and Attissogbe scores the goal that makes it 36-14 in the end.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
