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'That's exactly what happened against the All Blacks... that's what happened again'

By PA
(Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell insists the “competition is only just getting going” after France put themselves in pole position for Guinness Six Nations glory with a pulsating 30-24 victory in Paris.

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The Irish played their part in an enthralling evening of free-flowing rugby at a raucous Stade de France but ultimately fell short following a sloppy start as their winning run ended at nine games.

France captain Antoine Dupont scored the opening try after just 67 seconds and Farrell’s men trailed 22-7 early in the second period.

Quick-fire second-half scores from Josh Van Der Flier and Jamison Gibson-Park, following Mack Hansen’s maiden Test try early on, brought the Irish back into contention.

Yet indiscipline ultimately proved costly as six Melvyn Jaminet penalties, plus a try from Cyril Baille, helped Les Bleus take a giant step towards a first title since 2010.

While the contest was billed as a potential early championship decider, Farrell was proud of the efforts of his players and refused to be downhearted.

“It’s hard to take when you’ve put in such a tough shift like that, especially with the fight and character that we had to come back,” he said.

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“In the end, two good sides going at it; (at) 22-7 down people might have thought it was a step too far but these lads didn’t. Their character shone through and certainly their fitness shone through.

“The competition obviously is slightly in France’s favour, two home games that they’ve played and two victories for them.

“But the competition is only just getting going, so we’ll lick our wounds and learn from what was a fighting, spirited performance.

“At the same time, we’ll be honest with each other and make sure that we learn the lessons on a few decisions that we made along the way.

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“The result doesn’t lie, congratulations to France – they deserved the win because that’s what the scoreline tells us.”

Ireland arrived in the French capital having not been beaten since suffering defeat to Les Bleus on this weekend last year, but without the services of injured skipper Johnny Sexton.

Joey Carbery filled in for Sexton to make his first Six Nations start, while lock James Ryan took on the captaincy.

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Munster fly-half Carbery – who has endured an injury nightmare in recent years – produced a flawless kicking display, landing three conversions and setting up a grandstand finish by slotting a 73rd-minute penalty to temporarily reduce the Irish deficit to three points.

Farrell praised the performance of his stand-in number 10 and dismissed suggestions the team should have gone for touch with seven minutes to go, rather than take the three points.

“It’s the right decision, there’s no doubt about that,” he said.

“They (the players) are in the moment, they understand what’s happening, there was plenty of time left. I back them to make those calls.”

Speaking of Carbery, he added: “I thought he was excellent. Obviously everyone was curious to see how Joey would go on his first start but it didn’t surprise us.

“He was very confident and very assured in his performance. He kicked beautifully for goal and I think he controlled the game pretty well for us.”

Following Scotland’s defeat to Wales earlier on Saturday, France are now the sole team still in Grand Slam contention going into round three.

Les Bleus head coach Fabien Galthie felt the game had hallmarks of his side’s stunning autumn win over New Zealand, when they also held off a fightback to clinch victory.

“When you play that sort of team you have to accept that sometimes we have a weak moment but we have to limit the damage,” he said.

“That’s exactly what happened against the All Blacks and that’s what happened again today.

“But we were able to take control again and have the upper hand in conditions that were physically, psychologically, statistically challenging; like the All Blacks but with a different opponent.

“One might say we organised ourselves the same way in the last 30 minutes of the match and that is a good thing because we won and that’s very positive.”

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J
Jon 3 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

35 Go to comments
j
john 6 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

28 Go to comments
A
Adrian 8 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

28 Go to comments
T
Trevor 11 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
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