Ireland v France verdict: Competition integrity on show as home side seek to bridge gap

David Kelly

Hannah Tyrrell runs in to score a try against Wales in Cardiff. Ireland will need another big performance from the out-half against France today. Photo: Chris Fairweather/Sportsfile

April 17 2021 02:30 AM

Ireland face France today seeking to establish their credibility as a renewed international force.

Few expect them to defeat the fourth-ranked side in the world but the fact that even the bookmakers are more tentative than they were the last time the sides met – despite 2019’s 47-17 thumping, the home side are just +7 outsiders – indicates that it may not be the foregone conclusion so widely assumed.

The tournament’s own integrity will anticipate a keener contest than those already unfurled in a depressingly one-sided renewal in a novel window which has only served to emphasise that the door remains shut for Europe’s stragglers.

52-10. 53-0. 67-3. 45-0. Little wonder, some may argue, why the Six Nations has yet to attract a sponsor as competition is the minimal requirement for any tournament to retain a compelling edge.

That is Ireland’s challenge this week and, even if France bring a much-changed line-up, minus a couple of their stars but embellished by successful invitational Dubai Sevens winners from last weekend.

Ireland, as they did against Wales, will not run unmolested for over 1,000 metres or break 35 vaguely attempted tackles, nor indeed dominate in set-piece until their game dismantled worryingly, if understandably give their lengthy lay-off, in the third quarter.

That context is crucial to note, as is the fact that even with the benefits of greater strength and tactical awareness gained in 20 successive training camps, this remains a duel between elite amateurs and elite semi-professionals.

How Ireland attempt to bridge that gap will define how successful they may achieve their aims of closing it over 80 minutes.

“Yeah, we have to definitely add some variations to our play,” confirms coach Adam Griggs after the relative security of pitching an unchanged side into the fray.

“We laid some good platforms last week but like everything, a different opposition brings different challenges. The core of the game we’ve spoken about, certainly around attack, is a check-list of three things.

“Can we play through them? Can we play around them? And can we play over the top of them? For us, I drive it with the players but they will be the ones on the field.

“So if we can just give them that framework to help with that decision-making, then they have got to be backed to go out and execute it on the field. But the breakdown will be important. You can’t really use your threats out wide or use the ball if you don’t win that breakdown first and secure the ball. So that’s going to be a real battle.”

France have won on four of their last five visits – two years ago by a margin of 30 points – so will expect to win comfortably, even with the slightly weakened squad.

However, this has the potential to be the exactly the sort of banana skin – 2020 against Scotland, 2019, 2015 and 2013 against Italy, and notably here in 2017 – that could trip up the French.

With star full-back Jessy Tremouliere absent and crack scrum-half Caroline Bourdan benched, this is not their strongest line-up after making eight changes from the Welsh mauling but they fancy it is sufficient unto the task thereof. Their bench has more options than Ireland’s but if the contest is alive in the final quarter, this could get interesting.

How Ireland get there could be fascinating, especially if they maintain their commitment to service Béibhinn Parsons out wide and Hannah Tyrrell continues her expert game-management at ten.

With only one session under their belt, they need to get everything right; and if the French don’t, Ireland might eye an upset.