Clerc soundsa warning

Prolific France winger Vincent Clerc has warned Ireland that he revels in the space they offer.

Clerc has tormented the Irish throughout his nine appearances in the fixture, helping himself to eight tries. “It’s hard to explain why I’ve done so well against them because a try always depends on the whole team’s performance,” he said.

“Maybe the play is open against the Irish and there’s a lot of space.”

Ireland have failed to beat France in four meetings since the Grand Slam year of 2009 however, Clerc remains full of admiration for Declan Kidney’s side and feels the 23-21 loss to Wales fails to paint an accurate picture of their ability.

Words: Simon Lewis