Six Nations: France secure Grand Slam

France 44, Ireland 5 (full-time)

France have secured their third Grand Slam in six years after a mesmerising performance against Ireland in Paris.

England could only watch in envy from their Italian hideaway as the prize which eluded them for the last four seasons is to be collected by Fabien Galthie and his team.

Ireland were under pressure on their own scrum, and Betsen caught Stringer late as he tried to get a quick kick away, leaving the visitors’ half-back in agony.

O’Brien failed to spot the infringement and allowed France to gather possession.

Magne made ground down the left touchline and Merceron was only prevented from scoring when his kick rolled agonisingly away from his grasp.

Still, Ireland had already gone offside, allowing Merceron to boot his team into an eight-point lead as Stringer groggily regained his feet.

The lead increased again just two minutes later when Damien Traille and Tony Marsh linked to send Pieter de Villiers away.

France recycled quickly and moved the ball to Merceron whose pass floated perfectly into Brusque’s path and the full-back split the Irish cover to charge home.

Merceron missed the conversion but it mattered little as Galthie snatched possession on halfway and Aurelien Rougerie sprinted half the length of the field for the third home try.

This time Merceron added the extra two points, followed by his third penalty two minutes before the break as France turned the screw.

Humphreys was forced to boot two kickable penalty chances to the corner such was the desperation for a second Irish try, but the home defence held firm as the half-time whistle blew.

France only looked more likely to increase their lead as the second period followed the pattern of the first.

Hickie did well to bulldoze Betsen into touch after the flanker had taken Brusque’s pass two metres from the Irish line.

Then Magne did cross, only for the try to be ruled out for an accidental offside.

The visitors infringed as they were driven off their own scrum, allowing Merceron to add another penalty.

Pelous burst purposefully into the heart of Irish territory, only to spill the ball in contact, before Rougerie ran out of room after racing 30 metres down the right wing.

Ronan O’Gara was introduced for Humphreys as Ireland sought a way out of their dire situation.

But his efforts met with little success and when another powerful French forward drive took the home side to within five metres, Galthie spotted Betsen on the blind side and the Biarritz flanker strolled home for his second try.

A brace of French substitutes took to the field towards the end, eager for a taste of Grand Slam glory.

Another penalty for France, this time scored by Jelez and a second try for Brusque completed the mauling in the dying minutes.