It will be tough to beat Irish - Laporte

France have recorded convincing victories in each of their last two meetings with Ireland but Les Bleus coach Bernard Laporte is not holding out hope for a repeat showing when they face Eddie O’Sullivan’s Grand Slam-chasing outfit in Dublin this weekend.

Laporte’s side saw off the Irish 43-21 in the quarter-finals of the 2003 World Cup and then followed that up with a 35-17 win in Paris on the way to winning the RBS 6 Nations last year.