French tour de force as Ireland’s frailties exposed

Ireland 19 France 26

France took Ireland on up front and won; they took them on everywhere else and won too. Only Brian O’Driscoll’s late try brought Eddie O’Sullivan’s side close to taking the game to the wire.

O’Driscoll’s 27th international try was pure genius, but had Ireland managed to scrape a win, it would have been a travesty.