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Jonathan Sexton produced a match-winning performance on his Ireland return as Joe Schmidt’s side beat France 19-9 to keep their Six Nations title hopes alive.
The fly-half kicked 11 points in Dublin on Saturday as Ireland’s unbeaten run at home in the Six Nations grew to 10 matches, Conor Murray scoring their only try from close range.
It was the visitors who started well with two kicks from Camille Lopez but the French were unable to end their away-day woes, Guy Noves’ side slipping to a fifth successive defeat on the road for the first time since the expansion of the tournament to include six teams.
Ireland were grateful to Sexton for keeping the scoreboard ticking over in the second period, while the hosts remained resolute in defence amid late France pressure.
Victory moves Ireland top of the table after three games, with England able to reclaim first place if they defeat Italy at Twickenham on Sunday.
Man of the match performance from @ConorMurray_9 helps @IrishRugby to a toughly fought win over France.
IRL 19 FRA 9 #sixnations #IRLFRA pic.twitter.com/kggmrHPNSV
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) February 25, 2017
Buoyed by their victory over Scotland last time out, France made a positive start with the ball in hand – Baptiste Serin, Noa Nakaitaci and Scott Spedding all breaking the gain line.
Their first points came from the boot of Lopez in the 12th minute as he stroked a penalty over.
He was at it again before the midway point but only after Remi Lamerat had seen a try ruled out by the TMO for a knock-on by Gael Fickou in the build-up, Lopez kicking a penalty after the play had been brought back to France’s previous advantage.
As half-time approached the Irish burst into life, Sexton leading the charge with a number of piercing runs and beautifully judged kicks.
His half-back colleague Murray ensured the hosts went into the break ahead with an opportunistic score from the base of a ruck, the scrum-half diving over before Sexton added the extras.
6 – No scrum half has scored more Test tries than @IrishRugby‘s @ConorMurray_9 since the beginning of 2016 (6). Sniping.
— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) February 25, 2017
The second half belonged to Sexton as he continued to show his accuracy with the boot, both sides playing some attacking rugby but Ireland’s precision proving too good.
Sexton kicked an early second-half penalty after Serin had been punished for holding back Murray at a scrum, and the 31-year-old added a drop goal in the 50th minute to extend Ireland’s lead.
More indiscipline from the French gave Sexton another opportunity, and once again he made no mistake with a pinpoint kick from the tee.
Lopez was able to cut France’s deficit in the final 10 minutes with his third penalty, but replacement Paddy Jackson ensured a 10-point winning margin with a late penalty of his own.
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Comments on RugbyPass
The best outside centre in the world at one point. He will be greatly missed.
2 Go to commentsYip his great for the big moments when needed as a safa really enjoy watching him
4 Go to commentsOne that will start to come up from now on is penalties for back pushes during kick chase scrambles. Very difficult to detect. In Croke Park if you replay the Hendy NH try, you will see Furbank push Porter in the back, who collides with Larmour knocking the ball across into Hendy’s path to dot down. A more significant example was in the RWC QTR final where Arendse pushes Fickou into two other French players for the ball to spill into Arendse’s path for him to gather and run in to score SAs first try. Not cheating if you are not caught and very difficult to spot but with kicking becoming so critical I feel its an area that will referreeed/TMO-ed more.
3 Go to commentsWhat a pathetic little twit Andy Goode is, as if we care what he thinks…..😂
114 Go to commentsFoxy has been a wonderful player for the Scarlets and Wales.
2 Go to commentsNika the Georgian is the best referee in the world at the moment. Luckily we will be spared the shite SH refs and Barnes will hopefully remain retired given how shite and embarrassing he was at the RWC.
3 Go to commentsThis is the most exciting game of the summer imo, as we really won’t know in advance how both teams are going to play. - Will Robertson just reproduce his Crusaders tactics from last year, or will there be a conscious effort to borrow from the Hurricanes and Blues, and from the aspects of the ABs world cup strategy that worked well? - England under Borthwick have put in some good performances playing attacking rugby, and some good performances playing kick-oriented defensive rugby. Will Borthwick try to merge them together into a single all-court game, or will he continue switching between different approaches depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition?
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
9 Go to commentsFinals are always tense affairs for the players so I do not expect this to be a spectacle of running rugby unfortunately.
3 Go to commentsBulls***': Ex-England international calls out Eben Etzebeth… Not to his face but from very far away… after he’d left. Checked to make sure he wasn’t in the building.
114 Go to commentsHopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to commentsMuch like the Chiefs finally gave up waiting for Atu Moli to ever not be injured, you have to wonder if the Chiefs and Crusaders will let Josh Lord and Ethan Blackadder go next season. They’re being well paid to sit in the injury ward every year. Better off putting those funds towards someone who might actually play.
7 Go to commentsShowed better basic skills than some nz Super sides, who probably would have botched some of those backline moves. This tournament really is too short though. Needs more teams, or have them play two rounds to properly prepare them for the near full-time NH U20 sides.
4 Go to commentsGood grief it’s only six months. Probably just upset it’s not an established kiwi entering their prime they can “project” into green to join the rest.
3 Go to commentsGood player but far from being best in the world. That's an exaggeration. Perhaps Best in world by Northern Hemisphere standards and biasis but certainly not Southern Hemi standards
4 Go to comments