Sean O’Brien is man of the match and deservedly so. But you have to give enormous credit to Ian Madigan and Iain Henderson for their outstanding performances coming off the bench. Collectively, Ireland threw a maelstrom of muscle and brute force at their opponents and the French were unable to live with it.
I might have to revise my prediction for Ireland going out to Argentina now. We do, though, get what the rugby world has been asking for from the off: a New Zealand v France quarter-final.
I’m off to cover the pool stage finale between the USA and Japan now. Cheers for reading. Bye!
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Full-time: France 9-24 Ireland
Ireland go through the phases looking to wind the clock down, but with five seconds left on it they knock on. It matters not though, as France can’t do anything from the scrum and Ireland get the win!
What a second half from Ireland that was. Character in adversity and all that, having lost two of their lynchpins in O’Connell and Sexton before the break and then their best player, O’Mahony after it.
79 min Madigan finds touch on the left, five metres outside the 22 and Ireland drive the maul. It goes nowhere, so inside it goes and for the 1,000th time today Henshaw drives hard into the line.
78 min France regather it from the restart, but Dusautoir’s offload to Fofana goes forward. Another huge scrum from Ireland and Debaty pops up like a grizzled, enormous meerkat.
Penalty (Madigan 77) France 9-24 Ireland
Thumped through by Madigan. You can tell from his body language that he’s growing in confidence and well he might. This has been a wonderful show of blood and guts rugby from Ireland.
75 min Irish scrum just inside the French half and they get a penalty as France collapse it. Madigan will have a pop at goal from 45 metres.
74 min Strauss on, Best off, Flanquart on, Pape off. Ireland run it back from the restart, before Murray puts it up from the 10 metre line. France go wide, but then Parra knocks on as he’s tackled trying to step through a gap round the fringes.
Conversion (Madigan 73) France 9-21 Ireland
Madigan chips the conversion over and that, surely, is the win for Ireland.
Try! (Murray 72) France 9-19 Ireland
There it is! Best dives under the posts and the crowd cheer, but he’s been stopped inches short. Murray spots the base of the post padding is unguarded though and dots the ball down against the base of it.
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71 min Heaslip, O’Brien and Toner get the big carries in, taking it up to within 10. Ireland looking for the kill now as they hammer into that French line. O’Brien with yet another massive carry to within five. Cheap shot punch aside he’s been brilliant.
70 min Madigan sticks a cracking penalty into touch on the French 22 on the right.
69 min Ireland clear their lines, but only just get it out the 22. Maestri wins it but is driven back a long way by a powerful defensive effort. Left go France and Tales and Parra are penalised for crossing. It’s not happening for France.
68 min Now, for the first time in half an hour or so, Ireland have to defend. They’re solid, with O’Brien disrupting well on the floor and the No7 knocks the ball out of Parra’s hands. Nigel Owens says scrum Ireland, and I’m not sure about that, but Ireland won’t care one dot.
67 min Into touch it goes and France have the lineout on the 22. Maestri taps it back and France just about secure possession before spinning it left for Dumoulin to step into the 22.
66 min And another, with Debaty on for Ben Arous, permanently this time. Toner taps the lineout down, but does so wide of Murray and the ball bobbles into touch on halfway, this time giving France the throw. It’s not clean ball, but France gather it and they get a penalty too as McGrath goes in high on Parra. Penalty only.
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65 min Slimani is replaced by Nicolas Mas. Apparently Earls is another injury, we’re told. Back here, Tales clears the restart solidly up towards the French 10 metre line. Another knock for Ireland, as Henry gets treatment. “Had a bang on the head?” asks Nigel Owens, “what’s my name?” Henry passes. Another change as White replaces Ross.
Penalty (Parra 64) France 9-14 Ireland
Parra knocks it over from the 10 metre line to get his side within five.
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63 min This time France do win the lineout and Picamoles crashes it up to the Irish 10 metre line, where O’Brien concedes a penalty for not rolling away from the tackle. The Ireland openside is playing right on the line today.
62 min Again through the phases but still they can’t breach that 22 metre line. Another penalty though as Dave Kearney sticks his hands in the ruck. Spedding clears to touch, but since coming on for the injured O’Connell, Henderson has dominated the lineout. Dumoulin on for Bastareaud, Fitzgerald for Earls.
60 min Ireland win that lineout too and then regain possession from Murray box kick. With advantage, Madigan chips over the top and Henshaw is the quickest to it. Ireland winning absolutely every ball now and they drive up towards the 22.
59 min It goes to the front and Ireland look to drive it to touch, so Parra goes infield to Bastareaud. Best slams into him and O’Brien wins the turnover though and Madigan clears to touch! That’s the eighth turnover the Irish have won and it feels like O’Brien has won them all by himself.
58 min Murray kicks and Ireland’s chase is good, preventing the French from getting up over halfway. They recycle and O’Brien doesn’t release the tackler, conceding a penalty. It’s in Spedding’s range, but he goes for touch and sends a mighty kick down the right inside the 22. Guirado off, Kayser on.
57 min Penalty though against Best, as he comes into the ruck from the side. Spedding finds a good touch for France down the left, inside the Irish half, as Healy is replaced by McGrath. And now Henderson steals the lineout again!
56 min The ball went out off a French hand, so Ireland have the lineout and from it Henderson muscles his way up over the 10 metre line. This entire half has been played in French territory. Again, Ireland pummel their way forward.
55 min Ireland have it inside their own half, although they are unable to get any pace on the ball. They go wide and into touch, but of greater concern is that Peter O’Mahony is the latest player to go off on a stretcher. He’s been playing like a god so far and that’s a big loss. For France, Le Roux, Parra and Tales are on for Chouly, Tillous-Borde and Michalak.
54 min Now the Irish scrum gets the ascendancy and Madigan looks to dart. There’s no room for him but there is a little for O’Mahony, who drives on. Earls carries on, but then Henderson spills it into the arms of Tillous-Borde and the scrum-half hammers it clear.
53 min Magnificent take from Bowe chasing Murray’s box kick. Ireland go left and Earls kicks through, but Spedding is there to gather. France go left, then back right and Dusautoir drops an iffy pass to his feet in midfield! Ireland scrum just outside the 22. The atmosphere is quite something.
52 min Michalak took a bit of a bang trying to stop Kearney there, but he’s back on his feet. From wide on the right, Madigan’s conversion fades off to the left. What a start to the half from Ireland though!
Try! (Kearney 51) France 6-14 Ireland
Heaslip flicks it up for Murray and he switches it back inside for Bowe charging off his wing. Ireland drive it to within a metre and France are offisde. Right it comes though and Kearney shows his strength to hold off the tackle and stretch over the line!
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49 min My apologies, it was a knock on by France so we have a scrum and from it Henshaw cuts the French defence to ribbons! He goes surging into the 22 and gets it right to Bowe, who flicks it on to Kearney. He’s tackled just short, then Murray is tackled at the breakdown and it goes loose. It came off a French hand though, so it’s a five metre scrum to Ireland. The volume reaches new levels inside the Millennium Stadium.
48 min Debaty has a nasty cut and has to go off, but that coincides nicely with Ben Arous’ return from an HIA. For Ireland, O’Mahony is the latest man to receive treatment for a knock.
47 min Another good scrum from France and Tillous-Borde skates down the blindside, but some brilliant counterrucking wins the turnover for Ireland. They go right and Madigan throws an intercept pass straight to Fofana, but Ireland had the advantage for France going off their feet at that earlier ruck.
46 min Through the phases again and O’Mahony shows great strength to carry up to within five metres of the 22. They go through the phases again, but Healy knocks on in the ruck just outside the 22. Still Ireland haven’t had possession in that area.
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45 min Michalak finds touch midway inside the Irish half, but it’s pilfered by Henderson. Ireland spin it quickly left to Dave Kearney, who grubbers ahead and regains possession. From that French penalty, Ireland have excellent territory now.
44 min France whip it through the hands left and Dulin grubbers ahead, but Rob Kearney dives on the loose ball bravely. Up it goes from Murray and Spedding is wrapped up, but Toner goes offside and France run with the advantage. Chouly goes through but is stopped and we go back for the penalty.
43 min Right they go and Ireland are, very gradually, making ground. There’s space on the left as the French get sucked in and Earls gives it to O’Brien, with the overlap, only for the flanker to drop it under no pressure. HIA for France, with Debaty replacing Ben Arous.
Here’s that punch.
42 min It’s taken at the rear of the line and Tillous-Borde puts it up, with Bowe taking. Left they go and Dave Kearney looks to jink through a gap, but he’s closed down. Ireland go through the phases on the 10 metre line.
41 min Madigan gets the match restarted. I haven’t seen it, but I’m pretty certain Henderson is on for O’Connell. If Ireland can do this without him and Sexton it will be one of the all-time great performances. Madigan sends cross chip over for Bowe, doesn’t find him but does find a good touch just outside the French 22 on the right.
If Tuilagi got five weeks for running, O'Brien will presumably be banned for a couple of years for that punch?
— Ben Dirs (@bendirs1) October 11, 2015
More bad news for Ireland (sorry): there was a punch by Sean O’Brien on Pape during that first half with Owens’ back turned. Looks like one for the citing commissioner and he might well be out of the quarter-final.
Half-time: France 6-9 Ireland
Quick lineout ball from France and they drive up over the Ireland 10 metre line. Now they go right and Spedding shows and goes into the 22 on a good angle. It comes back inside while Paul O’Connell lies prone and in a lot of pain. Still France batter away at the defence, but Chouly holds on and concedes the penalty!
O’Connell is still down. He’s receiving treatment and clutching his hamstring. I doubt he’ll be back after the break. Irish fans now starting to know how the Welsh feel.
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40 min Henshaw kicks through after 16 phases, but it’s not great and Spedding clears over halfway. Madigan returns, but overcooks his kick towards the corner and sends his kick out on the full. We’ll have time for just the one more play from this lineout, 10 metres or so inside the Ireland half.
39 min Ireland go back again as the ball pops looses and Rob Kearney has to gather. Still they go through the phases, but this is brutal defence. There’s not a single inch being granted the Irish.
38 min Toner takes at the back and again Henshaw takes it on the crash ball. Kearney comes in and looks to take a good line from deep, but he’s cut down with a good low tackle at the breakdown. On Ireland go, Henshaw driving towards the 22 again.
37 min Chouly takes it in the shortened lineout and Tillous-Borde completes the clearance up towards the 10 metre line.
36 min Ireland lineout on halfway, on the left and from it Madigan fires a brilliant grubber hard into touch on the other side of the pitch, midway inside the 22.
35 min We restart with an Irish scrum just outside their 22 and it’s under great pressure. France win the turnover and Guirado drives up into the 22 and for the first time, France’s fans are the louder. That soon changes though as Dusautoir holds on in the tackle after great work from Best and Heaslip.
34 min From the lineout just outside the 22, it’s just knocked forward by Chouly’s fingertips. That was a shocking miss from Earls earlier – he pretty much had the ball in his hands.
33 min Great work at the breakdown by Ben Arous and Earls is penalised for holding on.
32 min It was hacked clear but back into Irish possession and so they come again. Up to the 22 but Dusautoir is there again to disrupt their momentum. Up to 13 phases, but France drive them back to the 10 metre line.
31 min This time Best finds his man at the tail, a metre inside his own half and Bowe cuts in off his wing to make a brilliant searing break into the 22! He has Earls to his left and sends it out for the centre, to finish, but Earls fumbles it backwards! What a miss!
30 min Madigan finds touch inside the 22 on the right, but Best overthrows and Dulin clears long to touch.
29 min Kearney runs it from his 22 then Murray puts up the box kick, which Chouly gathers excellently. He goes to ground, but Nakaitaci blocked the chase of Bowe with his shoulder and Ireland get the penalty.
Updated
Penalty (Madigan 29) France 6-9 Ireland
A tough one to start then, for the Leinster man. From 42 metres and off to the left, it looks to be drifting wide but he brings it around perfectly to put his side back in front. Hell of a nerve-settler, that kick.
27 min Still they go through the phases, but there’s nowt doing and we go back for a penalty against Pape, who tackled the scrum-half without the ball.
26 min Solid scrum from Ireland and Madigan switches it inside to O’Mahony. Left to Henshaw and then an exchange of less-than-impressive kicks leave us back where we were.
Ian Prior, the Guardian’s head of sport, is in the office and looking rather nervous.
25 min Great work again by O’Brien as Michalak fires a massive miss-pass out to Bastareaud, but the flanker read it like a particularly straightforward book and forced the knock-on with his big tackle. There’s bad news for Ireland though as Sexton was earlier absolutely monstered in the tackle by Picamoles and can’t continue. Madigan comes on.
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24 min Slow ball at the breakdown, so Tillous-Borde goes high and there’s a rare mistake from Kearney. It bounces back into French hands and they spread it wide, with Spedding making ground, but when it comes back inside the ball is stripped by O’Brien. Right it goes and Earls chips, but France gather.
Penalty (Spedding 23) France 6-6 Ireland
This time Spedding is a metre or so inside his own half, just off to the right again. 54 metres with the angle, but that’s not a problem for this man.
22 min The ball goes loose in the tackle from Guirado, but it was high from O’Mahony and France have another penalty on halfway. It was just one of those tackles that slipped up from the shoulders, so no card required.
21 min Another high ball and another good take by Spedding, but the ball goes loose from the tackle and Nakataci is wrapped up on his own 22 as he looks to run from trouble. Eventually it’s cleared and Kearney’s return is poor, allowing Spedding to counter.
20 min Bowe takes the restart, runs up to halfway and Ireland go left. Sexton tries to go through a gap but gets wrapped up.
Penalty (Sexton 19) France 3-6 Ireland
30 metres out, 15 in from the right, that’s no problem for Sexton.
@DanLucas86 it's early days to be making ballsy predictions about Ireland not making the semis but here's mine. Both these teams will.
— Brendan Dempsey (@brendempsey) October 11, 2015
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18 min Ireland carry it on and Best is dumped unceremoniously on his backside. It’s fired back to Sexton in the pocket and his drop-goal effort hits the posts, but we go back for a penalty for hands in the ruck.
17 min Sexton’s restart goes deep and Fofana returns, finding touch on the right only midway inside his own half. Good territory for Ireland and O’Connell takes the lineout before Henshaw drives on.
Penalty (Spedding 16) France 3-3 Ireland
This one is just to the right, on halfway again and Spedding will have another crack. He scuffs it pretty badly, yet the ball goes flying over anyway.
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15 min Now Michalak steps through a gap in midfield and goes up over halfway, but he’s turned over. “Bugger that” thinks Dusautoir and goes in himself to win it back by getting good body position over Healy and winning the penalty. That was the France captain at his very best.
14 min Ireland crash it up from the restart and Kearney goes high, but Tillous-Borde makes an excellent catch just inside his half. France go left, but O’Brien makes an excellent nuisance of himself in midfield and slows it down.
Penalty (Sexton 13) France 0-3 Ireland
From 41 metres, Sexton’s kick is excellent. Ireland lead against the run of play.
11 min It’s an absolute monster of a kick, but it thunders into the post and O’Brien, of all people, finds touch midway inside his own half with a very decent clearance. The lineout then goes loose and Toner grabs it. It goes left to Sexton and he chips over the top, then Bastareaud is penalised for going offside.
10 min Spedding is going to have a crack at goal from all of 49 metres.
9 min French scrum just inside the Irish half and Healy goes to his knees, conceding a penalty.
8 min O’Mahony just about takes it under pressure at the front and Murray box kicks high. Dulin gathers excellently on the Irish 10 metre line and France go wide right. Bastareaud is held up, but O’Brien knocks on as he tries to rip the ball from the centre.
7 min It’s not the cleanest strike, from a tough kick and the ball fades to the right of the posts. Sexton’s restart goes deep and is taken by Tillous-Borde, before France’s big forwards pick and drive over the gain line. Now they go wide, quickly and Fofana flies down the left, but Bowe makes a good tackle to take him into touch just outside the 22.
6 min Michalak will have a go from the 10 metre line, about 10 to the right of the posts.
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5 min Two metres inside his own 22, Murray feeds the scrum. It’s a solid effort and they get it out to Henshaw, who crashes it up the middle before Sexton releases Earls. The ball is knocked on on the floor though, then Toner gives away a penalty by diving into the ruck.
3 min Pape is back up, but clutching his ribs. Spedding’s big boot will send the ball to touch from the penalty and it’s a good effort, getting up to the 22 on the left. Taken in the middle and France look to drive the maul. Great work from O’Mahony though, as he gets his mits on it and splinters the French pack. Scrum Ireland.
2 min Pape is down on halfway, so Ireland are attacking a 14 man defence now. It’s strong, muscular, but slow stuff and France get the first penalty when O’Brien is done for holding on in the tackle.
PEEEEP! Nigel Owens blows his whistle and Michalak gets this match under way. Kearney is as solid as ever under it in his 22 and Sexton clears up over halfway, where Dulin takes it on the bounce and finds Spedding. Michalak steps over halfway, but the ball is knocked on and Ireland come away with it.
Anthems watch: shivers. This is going to be brutal.
@danlucas86 im frothing to bits the idea of a possible FRA v NZ quarterfinal. Would love to see 07 happening again.
— Kenny w (@iggy_92) October 11, 2015
You’re not alone. Australia look like tournament favourites to me, but I’ve got a funny feeling about the French.
Incidentally, before they came out the two teams lined up facing each other in the tunnel. Dusautoir staring down O’Connell was intense enough, so just imagine what they’re going to be like on the pitch.
Out come the players in front of a typically raucous Cardiff crowd. The roof is closed, the atmosphere sounds excellent as ever. It’s a pretty Ireland-heavy crowd, but the French will make plenty of noise themselves.
15 minutes to go. Just time for you to read Kevin Mitchell on how Ireland are preparing for this match without their midfield lynchpin Jared Payne.
Meanwhile in Exeter, Adrian Apostol’s second try has made it 32-22 with just seconds of the match remaining. A highly creditable comeback from Romania, who have been one of many “small” (as far as any team known as The Oaks can be small) teams to impress me hugely at the World Cup.
Romania outscoring Ireland v Italy not the greatest of omens for the next game #RWC
— Ian Prior (@ianprior) October 11, 2015
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@DanLucas86 if Sexton survives all the usual attention France pay him we'll just sneak it, if not we'll be facing The Haka not hunting Pumas
— John McEnerney (@MackerOnTheMed) October 11, 2015
I’ll level with you: I don’t think Ireland are going to get past the next round no matter who they end up playing.
Sexton should be OK, protected by that back-row, which is about as defensively solid as any in the world. Payne could be a big miss though, as Earls is probably better out on the wing and might struggle to contain the likes of Bastareaud and Spedding running down his channel. Henshaw has a big job on his shoulders today, albeit one he’s more than capable of doing.
What I’m saying is, I genuinely have no idea how this one is going to end up.
Try Romania! Only 15 minutes left and that makes it 29-8 with the conversion to come, so the comeback isn’t really on, but good for them!
Pre-match essential reading
One of the delights of this French team is the rejuvenation of Freddy Michalak at 10. The man who makes Carlos Spencer look like a metronome has been wonderful so far and it’s pleasing to see a maverick fly-half succeed – something that’s all-too rare in this age of hulking programmable terminators. Here’s Paul Rees on how France’s Msr. Cool has been influenced by a certain, very different 10.
A first tweet of the day!
@DanLucas86 big day for the Irish in the rugby and football. A lot of sore heads in the morning whatever the results
— Thomas j (@Thomasj5) October 11, 2015
I’ll level with you: I’m only vaguely aware that there’s football on today, and then only because Daniel Harris is sat next to me ready for MBM duty on it.
Here is that podcast, in case you want to listen. It took a break last week, but will be back tomorrow!
On our World Cup podcast a couple of weeks ago I boldly predicted that Romania would beat Italy in their final match this afternoon at Exeter. Looks like I was pretty off there, as Italy have just scored their fourth try and taken a 29-3 lead.
Earlier on, Argentina played out a rollickingly entertaining match with Namibia up in Leicester. The Pumas – who wear a jaguar on their badge but the English speaking world is allowed to be lazy for some reason – won it comfortably, but Namibia came away with plenty of credit. Gerard Meagher was there.
Permutations, for what it’s worth
- The winner will play Argentina back here next Sunday
- The loser will play New Zealand here on Saturday
- Bonus points don’t matter unless it’s a draw, in which case...
- If it’s a draw and one team gets a try bonus, they finish top
- If it’s a draw and neither/both get a try bonus, Ireland finish top
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Preamble
Afternoon, folks. Technically, a great white shark is just a fish. Technically, Game of Thrones is a fantasy show, the same as the BBC’s Merlin. Technically, The Godfather is a gangster movie. And technically this is a dead rubber.
Both France and Ireland have qualified already for the quarter-finals, but then Australia and Wales were in the exact same situation yesterday and just look how good that was. Neither of these sides* will underestimate the value of going through the pool unbeaten, the value of positive momentum going into the knock-out stage and, most importantly, the value of not facing the bloody All Blacks in the next round.
An easier route to the semi-final is very much the prize on offer here. Not that Argentina are going to be anything other than very very difficult, but for Ireland especially – given the two sides’ respective histories against New Zealand at World Cups anyway – a win this afternoon in Cardiff is of utmost importance. They were deeply uninspiring against Italy in probably the worst match of the World Cup so far, but will still be confident against a side that have never beaten them under Philippe Saint-Andre.
Both teams are at near-enough full-strength, with the exceptions of Yoann Huget and Jared Payne respectively, both of whom are out of the tournament. With two mighty packs and backs who are capable of, if not always willing to, play some electric stuff behind the scrum, this should, by all rights, be a very tasty one indeed.
Kick-off is at 4.45pm BST. Or 5.45pm French time, if you prefer. Your teams are:
France
Scott Spedding; Noa Nakaitaci, Mathieu Bastareaud, Wesley Fofana, Brice Dulin; Frederic Michalak, Sebastien Tillous-Borde; Eddy Ben Arous, Guilhem Guirado, Rabah Slimani; Pascal Pape, Yoann Maestri; Thierry Dusautior (capt), Damien Chouly, Louis Picamoles.
Replacements: Benjamin Kayser, Vincent Debaty, Nicolas Mas, Alexandre Flanquart, Bernard Le Roux, Morgan Parra, Remi Tales, Alexandre Dumoulin
Ireland
Rob Kearney; Tommy Bowe, Keith Earls, Robbie Henshaw, Dave Kearney; Johnny Sexton, Conor Murray; Cian Healy, Rory Best, Mike Ross; Devin Toner, Paul O’Connell; Peter O’Mahony, Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip.
Replacements: Richardt Strauss, Jack McGrath, Nathan White, Iain Henderson, Chris Henry, Eoin Reddan, Ian Madigan, Luke Fitzgerald.
*Actually come to think of it, France might well do that.
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