Result: France 43 Ireland 31

Ireland ran in four second half tries to redeem themselves and show undoubted character in a 43-31 defeat to France on Saturday.

…Geordan Murphy on the attack with French flanker Remy Martin in close attendance at the Stade de France…

RBS 6 NATIONS: Saturday, February 11
FRANCE 43 IRELAND 31, Stade de France (Att: 80,000)
Scorers: France: Tries: Aurelien Rougerie, Olivier Magne, David Marty 2, Cedric Heymans 2; Cons: Jean-Baptiste Elissalde 5; Pen: Elissalde
Ireland: Tries: Ronan O’Gara, Gordon D’Arcy, Donncha O’Callaghan, Andrew Trimble; Cons: O’Gara 4; Pen: O’Gara

3 minutes – France try: Aurelien Rougerie – 5-0; conversion missed by Jean-Baptiste Elissalde
8 mins – France try: Olivier Magne – 10-0; conversion: Jean-Baptiste Elissalde – 12-0
18 mins – France try: David Marty – 17-0; conversion: Jean-Baptiste Elissalde – 19-0
29 mins – Ireland penalty: Ronan O’Gara – 19-3
30 mins – France penalty: Jean-Baptiste Elissalde – 22-3
35 mins – France try: Cedric Heymans – 27-3; conversion: Jean-Baptiste Elissalde – 29-3
Half-time – France 29 Ireland 3
45 mins – France try: Cedric Heymans – 34-3; conversion: Jean-Baptiste Elissalde – 36-3
48 mins – France try: David Marty – 41-3; conversion: Jean-Baptiste Elissalde – 43-3
57 mins – Ireland try: Ronan O’Gara – 43-8; conversion: Ronan O’Gara – 43-10
61 mins – Ireland try: Gordon D’Arcy – 43-15; conversion: Ronan O’Gara – 43-17
67 mins – Ireland try: Donncha O’Callaghan – 43-22; conversion: Ronan O’Gara – 43-24
70 mins – Ireland try: Andrew Trimble – 43-29; conversion: Ronan O’Gara – 43-31
Full-time – France 43 Ireland 31

FRANCE: Christophe Dominici; Aurelien Rougerie, Florian Fritz, David Marty, Cedric Heymans; Frederic Michalak, Jean-Baptiste Elissalde; Olivier Milloud, Raphael Ibanez, Pieter De Villiers, Fabien Pelous (capt), Jerome Thion, Yannick Nyanga, Olivier Magne, Julien Bonnaire.

Replacements used: Remy Martin for Magne (38 mins-ht), Sebastien Bruno for Ibanez (47), Sylvain Marconnet for Milloud, Remy Martin for Magne, Dimitri Yachvili for Elissalde (all 58), Benjamin Boyet for Michalak (68), Lionel Nallet for Nyanga (71), Olivier Magne for Martin (72-73). Not used: Ludovic Valbon.

IRELAND: Geordan Murphy; Shane Horgan, Brian O’Driscoll (capt), Gordon D’Arcy, Tommy Bowe; Ronan O’Gara, Peter Stringer; Reggie Corrigan, Jerry Flannery, John Hayes, Malcolm O’Kelly, Paul O’Connell, Simon Easterby, David Wallace, Denis Leamy.

Replacements used: Donncha O’Callaghan for O’Kelly, Simon Best for Corrigan (both 50 mins), Andrew Trimble for Bowe (62), Eoin Reddan for O’Driscoll (76). Not used: Rory Best, Johnny O’Connor, David Humphreys.

Referee: Paul Honiss (New Zealand)

Join the Irish Rugby Supporters Club, in association with Canterbury of New Zealand – meet the players, exclusive access, competitions, tickets and much more. To join click here