ASIDE FROM IRELAND’S ferocious bout with Australia, day one of the WRWC in Dublin was a day of mismatches.
While Tom Tierney’s side were embroiled in an epic Test match, their pool rivals France took utmost advantage of the gulf in class separating themselves and Japan as Les Bleus cantered to a 72 – 14 rout.
Any lingering hopes of an upset were dashed within 11 seconds of kick-off as Romane Menager lifted a loose ball, threw a shoulder shuffle to a cold defender and ghosted on by to touch down the first of 12 French tries.
Menager would ground a second herself, but it was centre Caroliene Ladagnous who joined Selica Winiata, Magali Harvey and Kay Wilson in the day one hat-trick club — watch out too, for a sensational individual try from fullback Montserrat Amadee (at the 4 minute mark of the above clip).
Japan, who Ireland will face on Sunday, struggled to make any real impact on the game as a contest, but in number eight Mateitoga Bogidraumainadave they have a destructive ball-carrier whose try showed she is a menace to any line set by defences.
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