SOMEWHERE IN THE region of 10,000 Ireland fans are expected to make the trip to Paris this weekend as the current Six Nations holders take on Les Bleus this afternoon
We may be only one week into this year’s championship, but the result is sure to have a major say in whether or not Joe Schmidt’s side are realistically capable of winning an unprecedented three consecutive titles.
It also represents the first of two major Irish sporting events at the Stade de France in the coming months as the Boys in Greens’ Euro 2016 Group E opener against Sweden will be contested on the very same famous Saint-Denis pitch on 13 June.
Despite the fact that it has only just turned 18 years old, France’s national stadium, which was originally built for the 1998 World Cup finals, has already stage some mammoth occasions between the two countries.
Four months before Zinedine Zidane led the hosts to a remarkable triumph over favourites over Brazil, their rugby counterparts were 18-16 winners over Ireland on their way to a second Six Nations Grand Slam on the trot.
In fact, it wouldn’t be until 19 March, 2000, that Ireland tasted victory at the 81,338-seater venue for the first time when a fresh-faced 21-year-old by the name of Brian O’Driscoll ran over a hat-trick of tries for on a momentous day for Warren Gatland’s side.
The footballers produced arguably their finest performance of the Brian Kerr era in October 2004 when an Ireland team containing Kevin Kilbane alongside the returning Roy Keane in midfield held the French to a 0-0 draw with Clinton Morrison coming close on two occasions.
The countries were then grouped together in Pool D of the 2007 Rugby World Cup and it was the host nation who ran out 25-3 thanks to a brace of tries from Vincent Clerc.
A game at the Stade de France two years later that still sticks in the minds of Irish fans — and for all the wrong reasons as Thierry Henry’s infamous handball led to the goal which robbed the nation of a place at the 2010 World Cup.
And then there was the far-less controversial but nearly as unusual incident during the 2012 Six Nations when the game between the French and Declan Kidney’s Ireland was called off just minutes before kick-off due to a frozen pitch.
To-date, Ireland have won at the Stade de France just twice and the most recent of which saw Brian O’Driscoll end his glittering international career on a high as they clinched the title with a 22-20 win.
Jonny Sexton scored 17 of those points with two converted tried and a penalty.
In more recent times, the Stade de France and the city of Paris were shook by the terrorist attacks of last November which claimed the lives of 130 people.
After the first bomber was discovered by a security guard, three separate explosions went off near the stadium during a friendly international between France and Germany. The three bombers were killed as well as one bystander, but it is miracle the death toll wasn’t higher.
Despite ongoing fears of further attacks, fans haven’t been deterred for the main part as the sheer numbers travelling over this weekend and the demand for tickets for Euro 2016 shows.
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