CONOR MURRAY SEEMED to be keeping his gaze firmly fixed on one point in the stands, Peter O’Mahony had his eyes shut throughout, but Cian Healy let the emotions show as he belted out Ireland’s anthems on Saturday.

For the last time, he stood before the home Ireland crowd and did his best to soak the moment in.

“Just pride,” said Healy post-match about what was going through his head in those moments before Ireland took on France

“Just enjoying singing it here… the last opportunity to do it.”

It wasn’t to be the happy farewell that Ireland hoped to give Healy, O’Mahony, and Murray in their last international game in Dublin.

France were excellent as they blew Ireland away in a stunning 30-minute onslaught in the second half, having laid the foundation with their superb defence in the first half.

Healy was as upset as anyone else in the Ireland changing room but he did his best to savour his final home outing in green.

“It was enjoyable at times,” he said after France’s 42-27 win.

“It was nice to be on the bench and have the opportunity to compose myself a bit after the anthems. That was tough. I’m sure it was tough for Pete going straight into battle. I had to go in and wash my face and come back to neutral after that.

“They’re special moments and doing something with the two boys at the same time is nice but at the same time, next week is really the last week for us and we want to do it properly.”

Healy brought his two sons onto the pitch afterwards.

“They love it,” he said. “I love when they come on and Laura [his wife] is on the sideline and my parents and my sister were down this time.

Healy with his sons, Russell and Beau. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

“It’s very special and they are probably not at an age where it will be a huge memory to them when they’re older but there will be pictures and videos that I can show them to show that were part of something special.”

Healy grabbed a late consolation score for Ireland, his 13th try in 137 Tests.

It was a powerful finish through Oscar Jégou and Anthony Jelounch but it’s a shame it didn’t count for much in the end.

France are now in control of the Six Nations and can seal the title with a win against Scotland in Paris on Saturday night.

Ireland’s job is to push for a bonus-point win against Italy in Rome in the opening game of the day. Healy is insistent that they won’t switch off after the disappointment of being beaten by France.

“It’s just the standard we hold ourselves to and how we have to play to that standard and work to that standard throughout the week,” he said.

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“Just because there’s a loss, it doesn’t mean we slip in how we operate as a group. Everyone from the top down has huge standards so they have to be held and we have to prepare properly.”

France are heavy favourites to get the job done on home soil but the Six Nations always has a few surprises up its sleeve.

Having been involved in a thrilling Super Saturday that went their way in 2015, Healy knows Ireland can’t leave anything out there against Italy.

“You just play with a different venom. You chase it and you try and your script is there and it is to be played hard to. 

“It’s the same as if it’s a proper title decider in your head. You have to go to war and win every single moment. It’s non-negotiable. That’s how we have to go and play.”