'We did not expect a great Irish team': French media reaction to Six Nations win

The French media did not expect much from Ireland in their opening Six Nations game against France but were still surprised by the "sheer lack of physical intensity for an hour."

France's Matthieu Jalibert celebrates scoring his side's second try during the Six Nations match against Ireland. Pic: ©INPHO

Ireland were a tarnished version of their former selves in the opening game of the Six Nations according to the French media.

“The Irish rugby players we saw on Thursday evening, for a good hour, resembled those glasses that have lost their shine, covered in limescale after coming out of the dishwasher,” Karim Ben Ismail wrote for L’Equipe.

“Spin-dried by the French machine. Worn out too, they say back home, by the Lions tour, which has taken its toll on 18 members of the Irish squad, caused numerous injuries, and, it seems, a kind of mental exhaustion.” 

The gap in quality between the sides which emerged during France’s victory in Dublin last year was confirmed for the French on Thursday.

“Their back row – their barometer – no longer possesses its former sharpness, as exemplified by Josh van der Flier, the 2022 World Player of the Year, who was often caught out of position and late in the rucks.” 

It was observed that under the high ball, “an area where Ireland once excelled, Mack Hansen's absence was sorely felt. Tommy O'Brien struggled, as did fly-half Sam Prendergast, who looked hesitant, imprecise, and unreliable in his decision-making. His brother Cian, on the other hand, showed more presence at number 6.” 

L’Equipe rated France fullback Thomas Ramos as their best player against Ireland, getting a 9/10 for a “commanding performance”. He was closely followed by winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey, out-half Matthieu Jalibert, and second rows Charles Ollivon and Mickael Guillard who all received 8/10.

L’Equipe’s Renaud Bourel wrote that the “reality of this encounter is that we did not expect a great Irish team”.

“They sadly appeared to be at a turning point in their history, in the midst of generational renewal. What we didn’t see coming, despite the injuries and absences, was their sheer lack of physical intensity for an hour.

“Watching them crack open under the battering-ram strikes of Mickael Guillard, Yoram Moefana, and Nicolas Depoortere was just as surreal as their completely unnatural strategy of surrendering possession. From memory, safe in the stands, one couldn't recall seeing Andy Farrell’s Greens so dominated in terms of possession (38% at half-time) — a team whose relentless game has always been based on suffocating the opponent.”

In Midi Olympique, Marc Duzan recognised some mitigating circumstances for the Irish performance. Though, he should have done some better research on the Irish population numbers.

"Decimated, depleted by injuries, and unable to regenerate like the major rugby nations, Ireland arrived at the Stade de France with what little remained, including a Prendergast who was clearly out of sorts," Duzan wrote.

"A small country of four million inhabitants cannot indefinitely draw from the same source without it running dry. And that evening, facing Les Bleus, it was therefore a half-Ireland, courageous, disciplined, but worn down. They never truly surrendered – capitulation is not in their nature – but quickly realised that there was an insurmountable gap between their rank and file and the elite of a Federation with 350,000 registered players."