Ireland dispatch France to set up Argentina clash

Ireland survived injuries to talismans Johnny Sexton, Paul O’Connell, and Peter O’Mahoney to book a quarter-final clash with Argentina by beating France with some comfort, 24-9, on Sunday afternoon.

The result ensures France will be the side to take on the herculean task of facing the All Blacks in the quarter-finals of this year’s World Cup having been thoroughly outplayed by the Irish over the 80 minutes. 

Nervousness and mistakes riddled the game’s opening quarter with Ireland and France exchanging two early penalties apiece through the boots of Johnny Sexton and Scott Spedding respectively. However Ireland’s path to the quarters appeared to became that much tougher after Sexton was forced to leave the field following a crunching tackle from Louis Picamoles midway through the first-half. Iain Madigan slotted the resulting penalty to push Ireland to a slender 9-6 lead. 

The rest of the first half passed, disappointingly, without much in-play excitement, both sides seemingly content to play hesitantly for the fear of being caught out unaware. Much to Ireland’s chagrin however influential captain Paul O’Connell was to join Sexton on the treatment table on the stroke of half-time, his shoulder seemingly in significant discomfort to end the half.

Ireland however battled back admirably from their first-half setbacks in the second forty as France continued to flounder and struggle to entrench themselves in Ireland’s half to accumulate any significant pressure. Indeed Ireland took full advantage of France’s listlessness as Rob Kearney finally broke the game open with the game’s first try on 49 minutes, a powerful short-range effort.

And with Ireland now two scores ahead, the impetus was now on France to respond to keep any hopes of a finish atop Pool D alive. However a combination of Ireland’s tenacious and structured defence and France’s lack of cohesive attacking play ensured Ireland’s lead was never truly in danger despite Morgan Parra’s penalty on 63 minutes. 

In all truth the game was finally put to bed by an ingenious piece of play from Connor Murray who astutely used the bottom of the goal post’s padding to tack on a further five points to Ireland’s lead before Madigan added the extras.

And Irish celebrations were complete albeit somewhat dimmed by a further Madigan penalty to seal the game on Ireland’s behalf.

Although Ireland jubilantly celebrated at Nigel Owen’s final whistle, Irish thoughts will have immediately turned to the status of Sexton, O’Connell and O’Mahoney, three instrumental figures whose absence would be sorely felt should they miss out on next Sunday’s juicy matchup with Argentina.

Ireland might have clinically dispatched France to win their pool in Cardiff on Sunday, but depending on the updates that come out of the Irish camp over the next seven days, it could have come at a significant cost ahead of the start of the tournament’s knockout stages.