Anna Caplice column: 'Only one dish is on the menu for Ireland in France'

Normally at this stage of the tournament it would be time for a little pause, to recover and take stock of rounds one and two. Before last year you may remember the two-one-two format of games, but now in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations we are treated to a three matches in succession before just the one rest week. Arguably tougher on the players, but a great treat for the fans.

Ireland might be the only side happy with the newer format, especially given last week’s performance against Italy. Combine that with the second-half performance against England in round one and I think their players will be happy to say, “drive it on!”

Coming away from Allianz Stadium in round one with two tries, and matching the world champions’ points tally in the second half, they carried that momentum into their first Six Nations appearance in Galway, where they scored more points before than ever before in the competition in front of a record home crowd.

Ireland scored nine tries out west, split between their forwards and backs. The squad admitted to having an internal competition between the backs and forwards to see who could score the most tries. (Well, it exists within every rugby squad, right?) But a hat-trick from hometown hero Béibhinn Parsons nudged the backs ahead, this time. The variety of tries, however, showed that Ireland can capitalise from any part of the park when they’re on form.

Fixture

Womens Six Nations

France Women

12:10

25 Apr 26

Ireland Women

All Stats and Data

The record 9,206 crowd who enjoyed basking in the Galway sunshine had plenty to celebrate, but the travelling Italian fans also had reason to jump up from their seats with four tries coming from the Azzurre.

With Ireland comfortably in the lead few in green started to sweat, but conceding those four tries will have given Ireland food for thought and plenty of practical homework when preparing for round three, the biggest match of the tournament in Irish eyes: France in France.

The bubbling history between these two sides is almost at boiling point. Having last beaten France in the 2017 Six Nations, Ireland have lost every game since. They have come painfully close on French soil on a few occasions, but with the Irish squad filled with a strong appetite they haven’t had in a while, could this be the dining experience that finally gets Ireland over the line. What’s on the menu you ask? Revenge.

Ireland crashed out of the World Cup last September at the hands of this French team, when Ireland were very much in the driving seat for most of the 80 minutes. All it took was one lightning run from Joanna Grisez to give France that edge before France took the win, added further sourness to the bitter taste of defeat. Not to mention, two red cards that were awarded posthumously for a dangerous tackle and the infamous bite on the arm of Aoife Wafer.

Sometimes a mission like this can focus the mind – and sometimes it can blur your sight of the goal. How Ireland manage it will be all down to management and leadership. Emotion aside, how do Ireland plan on beating France?

It will be no easy task containing the tremendous Madoussou Fall,who has made the most dominant carries of any player so far this tournament. If Ireland have to commit a third defender to bringing her down, the space opens up elsewhere and the youthful but threatening back-three can pick out those gaps and fly through.

France have a stunning offloading game. They can give multiple offloads in a phase and once that momentum gets going it can be impossible to stop. Irish defenders have to be confident in making the hit to stop the carry and at the same time, somehow getting their arm or body in front of the ball to stop the offload. The difficulty then is that it invites the defender to come higher in the tackle, which in turn makes the attacker harder to stop.

Yes, it’s all a game of moving parts – but France will have their work cut out for them too. Ireland have been impressive at forcing turnovers and winning a poach at vital moments. Getting a few of those will allow Ireland to sow the seeds of doubt in French minds, given those are hugely frustrating penalties to concede, made even worse with the whooping and air punching which usually follows.

They’re often referred to as “the moment that changed the game” – but it will be up to the boot of Dannah O’Brien and the work of the set-piece to cement that doubt and capitalise on those moments.

A hugely exciting fixture, and our best chance of being in contention for second place in this championship for years. Knives and forks ready: it’s time to dine. Bon appétit!