Six Nations fever continues as the women’s competition gets underway this weekend.
Ireland are in France today as Scott Bemand’s side look to avenge the disappointment of last year’s campaign where they finished up as the Wooden Spoon team.
18-year-old Katie Corrigan will make her international debut on the wing while Nicole Fowley has been selected to start at 10. Dannah O’Brien is still recovering from an ankle injury and is named among the replacements.
We’ll have the team line-ups for you in the next few minutes as we get closer to the 2.15 kick-off.
Ireland
15 Lauren Delany, 14 Katie Corrigan, 13 Eve Higgins, 12 Aoife Dalton, 11 Beibhinn Parsons, 10 Nicole Fowley, 9 Aiobheann Reilly; 1 Linda Djougang, 2 Neve Jones, 3 Christy Haney, 4 Dorothy Wall, 5 Hannah O’Connor, 6 Aoife Wafer, 7 Edel McMahon (c), 8 Brittany Hogan
Replacements: 16 Sarah Delaney, 17 Niamh O’Dowd, 18 Sadbh McGrath, 19 Fiona Tuite, 20 Grace Moore, 21 Molly Scuffil-McCabe, 22 Dannah O’Brien, 23 Meabh Deely
France
15 Emilie Boulard, 14 Kelly Arbey, 13 Nassira Kondé, 12 Gabrielle Vernier, 11 Marine Ménager, 10 Lina Queyroi, 9 Pauline Bourdon Sansus; 1 Annaëlle Deshaye, 2 Agathe Sochat, 3 Assia Khalfaoui, 4 Manae Feleu (c), 5 Madoussou Fall, 6 Charlotte Escudero, 7 Gaëlle Hermet, 8 Romane Ménager.
Replacements: 16 Elisa Riffoneau, 17 Ambre Mwayembe, 18 Clara Joyeux, 19 Kiara Zago, 20 Emeline Gros, 21 Alexandra Chambon, 22 Lina Tuy, 23 Morgane Bourgeois
While you wait for kick-off, have a look at this match preview by Gavan Casey
Ireland must take step forward against a rejigged France side with its own fresh faces
Ready for road
The teams are making their way out now. Not long to go before kick-off.
Kick-Off! France 0-0 Ireland
1 min: France 0-0 Ireland
Good defensive work from Nicole Fowley to stop a France kick-and chase but Ireland penalised for releasing on the ground.
France kick for the corner to bring them inside the Irish 22.
TRY! France 7-0 Ireland (Bourdon Sansus ’2)
3 mins: France 7-0 Ireland
France strike first and it’s Pauline Bourdon Sansus who surges over to complete an impressive maul attack from the hosts.
It’s the worst possible start for Ireland as Lina Queyro taps over the conversion.
6 mins: France 7-0 Ireland
Marine Ménager plunders along the wing and Ireland are under severe pressure again in their own five-metre line.
7 mins: France 7-0 Ireland
Ireland are getting stretched as France spray the ball out wide. They knock it on but play comes back for a France penalty which they kick for the corner.
A mistake in their lineout gives the ball back to Ireland. France looking very dangerous in the opening minutes.
11 mins: France 7-0 Ireland
Ireland struggling to keep possession but a clever kick from Fowley finds touch and brings Ireland a little further into French territory.
12 mins: France 7-0 Ireland
Another poor lineout from France as the ball sails over the pack. Eve Higgins tries to release the ball but which doesn’t connect but the play is called back for an Ireland scrum.
12 mins: France 7-0 Ireland
Scrum collapses and Ireland win a penalty from the reset. It looks like they’re going to go for the posts and try to get some points on the board. It’s about 40 metres out.
14 mins: France 7-3 Ireland
Super effort from Fowley to send the kick straight and true in spite of the heckles in the French crowd.
Good response from Ireland.
16 mins: France 7-3 Ireland
France have advanced back into Ireland territory although there was a blatant forward pass during the sequence which the referee bizarrely missed.
Ireland get a reprieve from another mistake in the France lineout.
17 mins: France 7-3 Ireland
But France have the ball back again and they’re pressing for another try. Ireland can’t seem to retain possession for long enough to work through the phases.
But Ireland’s defence come up trumps to earn a penalty. Fowley kicks the ball clear and finds touch.
19 mins: France 7-3 Ireland
Lauren Delany chases a kick and arrives in time to make a brilliant tackle. France try to work the ball across the field but again, Ireland are delivering on the ground and Eve Higgins gets in to make a tackle that results in a scrum for the visitors.
22 mins: France 7-3 Ireland
France scrum after putting Neve Jones under pressure. The referee calls for a water break but Ireland can feel very enthused with this effort so far.
France slightly more clinical but Ireland are measuring up to them very well.
23 mins: France 7-3 Ireland
Delany a bit hesitant to collect the ball from a France kick but Ireland get it under control and Brittany Hogan makes a great burst from the Ireland 22. Ireland are now in the France 22 from a clever kick.
25 mins: France 7-3 Ireland
But now it’s Ireland who are struggling to make their lineout click and they give up a brilliant opportunity to push at the France try line.
Ireland lose another lineout moments later and France will send another wave at the Irish defence.
27 mins: France 7-3 Ireland
A kick through trickles past the arms of Delany but Ireland recover. Beibhinn Parsons almost makes a timely interception but just fumbles the ball.
Meanwhile, France storm through again on the wing and look to have snuck over the tryline but Ireland somehow manage to hold them back and it’s a penalty to the visitors.
31 mins: France 7-3 Ireland
Another major let-off for Ireland. Romane Ménager makes a strong break in the Irish ’22 but Aoife Dalton gets back to smother her up just inches from the line. France look to be one surge away from their second try but Ireland are blessed with a handling error and they can breathe again.
They keep possession in the scrum and Fowley boots it well out of danger.
TRY! France 14-3 Ireland (Ménager ’32)
33 mins: France 14-3 Ireland
It was coming but Ireland will be disappointed with how easily France swept through for their second try. Bourdon Sansus releases the ball to winger Marine Ménager and she hurtles through a gap in the Irish defence.
She puts on the turbo booster to sidestep past Delany and finishes under the posts. Queyroi has no trouble adding a second conversion.
37 mins: France 14-3 Ireland
Chance for France to take three points from the posts as Edel McMahon is penalised for obstruction.
38 mins: France 17-3 Ireland
And it’s no trouble for Queyroi who slots the ball inside the post from a slightly acute angle. The gap is starting to widen now and Ireland will be grateful of the half-time whistle to take some time to reset.
Half-Time: France 17-3 Ireland
Second-Half: France 17-3 Ireland
France 17-3 Ireland
Dannah O’Brien comes in at out-half for Nicole Fowley.
43 mins: France 17-3 Ireland
O’Brien attempts to kick for the corner with an ambitious kick but the bounce sends the ball the wrong side of the flag.
France come back on the rampage with some tasty offloads. Parsons gets back to make a vital tackle and halt their momentum.
46 mins: France 17-3 Ireland
Delany with an important intervention to stop an almost certain France try. She gets her body in front of a grubber kick from France full-back Emilie Boulard, although Boulard probably could have looked to pass the ball through the hand.
France are still in the Ireland five metre line and they’re setting up for a maul.
TRY! France 24-3 Ireland (Fall ’47)
48 mins: France 24-3 Ireland
That’s try number three for France and again, it was just a matter of time before they charged over. It’s sustained pressure and power against an Ireland team that looks a bit spent from their brilliant effort to keep pace with France in the first half.
Second-rower Madoussou Fall emerges as the one who makes the vital lunge after some powerful phase play. Queyroi kicks another conversion in front of the posts.
53 mins: France 24-3 Ireland
Good tackle forces a knock-on from Bourdon Sansus. France win the ball back but cough up possession with a knock-on. Good defensive work from Christy Haney helps force France into committing that error, and Ireland will put in for the scrum.
France 24-3 Ireland
France have broken through for a fourth try but the TMO is reviewing a potential forward pass preceding the score.
56 mins: France 24-3 Ireland
NO TRY!
The replay shows a clear forward pass by Nassira Kondé so the score by winger Kelly Arbey has been chalked off.
60 mins: France 24-3 Ireland
Lovely kick from O’Brien to find touch inside the French ’22. France win the lineout but their kick comes back into Irish hands.
But they lose possession and France are back in control again. Bourdon Sansus tries a quick kick over the top but Ireland read the move well and reclaim the ball.
TRY! France 31-3 Ireland (Sochat ’62)
63 mins: France 31-3 Ireland
And that’s the bonus point wrapped up by France. Hooker Agathe Sochat provides the finishing touch from yet another brilliant maul attempt.
It’s been a blemish free day for Queyroi from the tee. She kicks her fourth conversion and fifth kick in all through the posts.
68 mins: France 31-3 Ireland
O’Brien brings Ireland back to the corner. Jones finds Hannah O’Connor in the lineout and the maul gets moving.
France 31-3 Ireland
It looks like Ireland are in for their first try of the day. The referee seems to confident that there is ground, but we’re going to the TMO for verification.
TRY! France 31-10 Ireland [Wafer '70]
72 mins: France 31-10 Ireland
And it’s a try!
It’s no more than Ireland deserve for continue to hustle in spite of their tiring bodies. Aoife Wafer completes the sequence of Irish pressure with a lunge on the line and Dannah O’Brien clips over the conversion.
France 36-10 Ireland
France have a fifth try but the referee is calling it back from a review.
TRY! France 38-10 Ireland (Riffonneau ’75)
TRY! France 38-17 Ireland (Dalton ’76)
77 mins: France 38-17 Ireland
Dramatic conclusion to this Six Nations game as the teams exchange tries less than a minute apart. Elisa Riffonneau goes over for France’s fifth try which gets the nod by the TMO.
And then at the other end, Aoife Dalton reacts brilliantly to a moment of indecision in the France defence to pounce on a spilled ball and get Ireland’s second try of the day.
Full-Time! France 38-17 Ireland
France 38-17 Ireland
It’s a bonus-point win for France but compared with the 5o-point defeat in last year’s meeting between these sides, it’s a massive improvement.
Having their Sevens players available for selection makes a big difference and Ireland managed to clinch two tries today.
But France were just too overwhelming to live with and it’s a big win for the hosts.
Well that’s all from us, stick around for the match report, and we hope to have you with us again soon.
All the best, bye for now.
