Noel McNamara: We can learn from French experience

Noel McNamara believes his Irish U20 side can build on a hugely positive second-half showing against the French last Friday evening as they face into the rest of their Six Nations campaign.

The visitors were poor in the first period in Bordeaux. Loose defensively, they committed a string of errors with ball in hand and compounded all that with ill-discipline. France took full advantage by sweeping in to a 22-3 half-time lead.

The restart saw a much- improved Ireland. A third-quarter blitz took them to within three points of the hosts, who pulled away again to win 34-24 and leave Ireland with no championship points.