Solidarity saved us, claims Dusatoir

YOU try to avoid stereotypes, but that isn’t easy when French players field questions in the post-match mixed zone while lounging with nonchalance on tables and sipping mineral water.

But, look closer. Listen.

Strip away the Gallic shoulder shrugs, the bonhomie and bottles of Vichy St-Yorre and what remains is a squad of men none too enamoured with their performance in the Aviva Stadium yesterday.

Coach Marc Lievremont started the inward inquisition by giving his side just four out of ten for their performance and his captain, Thierry Dusatoir, couldn’t find much to argue with when such a damning statement was put to him.

“He might be right,” said the Toulouse flanker. “We didn’t respond to their early pressure and that caused us a lot of problems but we showed a lot of solidarity and that is something positive to take away from this.”

Solidarity might have helped but so, too, did the Irish mistakes which mounted as the game wore on and, crucially, allowed France stabilise after the initial Irish bombardment. Dusatoir accepted as much afterwards.

How often have we seen Irish players stand stupefied under their own posts within minutes of kick-off against the French in Paris? Here, finally, was the opportunity for Ireland to repay their tormentors after Fergus McFadden’s fifth minute try.

Who knows what might have happened had Declan Kidney’s side been able to maintain that opening but it took just one mistake — a dropped ball by Tomas O’Leary — to stem the tide and help restore the visitors’ equilibrium.

They leave Dublin with hopes of another ‘Grand Chelem’ intact but a defeat to Ireland yesterday would undoubtedly have reopened scarcely healed wounds just over six months before another World Cup campaign.

“Our management of the game wasn’t great and I would just give us five out of ten for that but I would give us ten out of ten for the spirit that we showed,” said Dusatoir. “We have been through some very difficult times lately and we did well to come through this.

“We played better here (than against Scotland) but the context of the two games was very different. Things are coming together for us but it was very stressful when Ireland had the momentum at the end. We needed not to get ahead of ourselves and we were able to control it.”

It is difficult to imagine England, hot off their demolition job on Italy, being so careless should they find themselves in a similar situation to which Ireland fashioned in the opening ten minutes here.

Next up for the French is the short hop across the English Channel to a Twickenham that is revelling in a confident and successful national side after the seven years of hurt.

It’s hard to envisage a French victory in London on the evidence of the errors made and six tries conceded by the French thus far but their rivalry with England doesn’t work off a script.

Imperfect though they are, France should offer Martin Johnson’s New Model Army a far greater test than either Wales or Italy have to date but, right now, all that is for another day.