Euro rivals content to face Ireland

If Ireland were glad to have avoided the southern hemisphere’s big guns and dangerous sides in band three, it was clear the French and Italians were equally as relieved to have been pooled with the Irish.

Both the France captain Thierry Dusautoir, who came so close to lifting the Webb Ellis Trophy 14 months ago, and new coach Philippe Saint-Andre, could not disguise their feelings of getting a lucky break.

“It’s a European pool. It’s like being in a little Six Nations again.