[2025 Six Nations] Ireland vs France - 8/3/25

[Batsumy]

He literally can't do that but OK.

French being classless after a victory in Dublin is nothing new.

Yeah OK Galthie is a bit of exagerating on this one, I mean seeing the action on Dupont again, there could not be intention in there (or it would be really devious) so all fine in my view. as for Nash, yeah ok another one of those tackles too high, yellowcard and thats it, not sure why it should go further. I think Galthie, like a lot of french men, are gutted about Dupont...

If we park that, what a match ! I said before the game to some friends that it was a defining moment for France, they needed a result, to prove that they were able to win those key matches. If France would have lost today, it would have been a massive blow for the Dupont generation, the loss in Quarter of RWC and then this, it would have had heavy consequences in my opinion...But they did not, they were up to the contest and they showed their quality as a collective power. Because thats waht was the most impressive today, you could have put any french players on the field today, we would have won. We played 30 minutes with a back row as centre, you cannot make it up ! there was Will in its purest form and bravo for that !

Ireland defo was missing something in several key moments: prendergast had a bad day at the office (the french did target him massively), Lowe was a big miss..But still your forwards just got outclassed, they were collectively defeated by a large margin today, partly by the will power of the french and partly, I do not know why ....

 

[O’Doyle Rules]

France were magnificent and to be honest they have been all tournament. I love how England spoil the grand slam parties these days. Everyone leaves Twickenham baffled!

As an Ireland fan I'm actually quite excited - we've had c.5 years of the current crop - our greatest ever - but the next cycle is about to begin and who knows where it will go! The Ireland semi final is coming - as I said I think it's coming when we're least expecting!!

 

[McTallshort]

Strange comment considering they have won three championships in a row and two grand slams in that run.

But never made a world cup semi final

 

[LIONSxv]

Seeing some massive overreaction here and elsewhere. Ire were poor, got bullied up front. Fra were very good and everything clicked. The game reminded me of when England beat Ireland in 2019. To add some perspective though:

Ireland have been thin of props for some time this got highlighted yesterday

Ire beat Fra in France 12 months ago, things can turnaround quickly

Ire battered Fra first 15 mins, if they score in that period we have a different game

France are not the best side in the world until they win the WC. It's silly to even claim this given that SA have just gone back to back.

It was only 2 weeks ago that people were calling for Galthie to be sacked

Prendagast wasn't as bad the noise

Beirne didn't intentionally go after ADP standing leg. Although Ire clean out work has been dubious for some time

It's now or never for the French. The next 18 they need to become consistent otherwise it's just noise again.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Head says Ire, just. But if Fra get their **** together I don't think anyone can live with them and that includes Ire. There's just something in the water that says it will be France's day.

Waterworks in fine fettle which is unusual for a 50 something bloke.

The statement performance I'd wanted to see from Fra duly delivered. Very good day at the office for them, a very bad one for Ire which exposed some of their strength in depth issues.

And that was with Dupont off after half an hour and being bitten by the 7:1. Thought Lucu was very good when he came on.

The most impressive thing for me was the French defence. They held out that initial Ire surge and all game long were rag dolling Irish carriers. Disciplined and intensely physical.

Ire will bounce back but as one of a number of good teams rather than in the top couple in the world. It does feel like the sun is slowly setting on a golden generation.

 

[OllyM97]

I think some of the seeming obituaries being written about this Ireland team are a bit premature. Yes their lack of depth up front and on the wings got exposed but it's fine margins. If Ireland score in the first 15 minutes when they were all over France you wonder what that would have done to the French psyche. France in the second half seemed to get the bounce of the ball - they deserved it because they were magnificent but on another day their second try gets disallowed and they get a nastier bounce for LBB's second try.

Don't get me wrong, there are issues in this Irish team and I don't think they'll ever reach their 2022/23 peak again but they will be strong 6 Nations contenders every year for the next decade at least. France were just on another level yesterday when they got going but there's no shame in that. The French in their pomp can embarrass anybody. You've seen great ABs sides get big scores put on them by France in full flow. That was the best performance under Galthie by far. Given the high pressure, the loss of Dupont, and the fact that it was in Dublin. We've asked questions about the French mentality under pressure, well yesterday they answered a lot of them. 34 unanswered points in 28 minutes against that Irish team is just ridiculous. Ireland haven't been blown away like that for a long time.

 

[Jimbo]

I think some of the seeming obituaries being written about this Ireland team are a bit premature. Yes their lack of depth up front and on the wings got exposed but it's fine margins. If Ireland score in the first 15 minutes when they were all over France you wonder what that would have done to the French psyche. France in the second half seemed to get the bounce of the ball - they deserved it because they were magnificent but on another day their second try gets disallowed and they get a nastier bounce for LBB's second try.

Don't get me wrong, there are issues in this Irish team and I don't think they'll ever reach their 2022/23 peak again but they will be strong 6 Nations contenders every year for the next decade at least. France were just on another level yesterday when they got going but there's no shame in that. The French in their pomp can embarrass anybody. You've seen great ABs sides get big scores put on them by France in full flow. That was the best performance under Galthie by far. Given the high pressure, the loss of Dupont, and the fact that it was in Dublin. We've asked questions about the French mentality under pressure, well yesterday they answered a lot of them. 34 unanswered points in 28 minutes against that Irish team is just ridiculous. Ireland haven't been blown away like that for a long time.

It won't be a popular thought but, France almost seemed better without DuPont, impossible to know if it was in response to losing him or if having him on somehow makes them less effective elsewhere. They have looked poor without him in the past though very tough to say.

 

[McTallshort]

It won't be a popular thought but, France almost seemed better without DuPont, impossible to know if it was in response to losing him or if having him on somehow makes them less effective elsewhere. They have looked poor without him in the past though very tough to say.

They seemed better once their pack got dominance over the Irish pack which was about 50 minutes. Any Scrum Half would have enjoyed that armchair ride. I would say it was lucky for Ireland that he wasn't on the pitch for that last 30.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Waterworks in fine fettle which is unusual for a 50 something bloke.

The statement performance I'd wanted to see from Fra duly delivered. Very good day at the office for them, a very bad one for Ire which exposed some of their strength in depth issues.

And that was with Dupont off after half an hour and being bitten by the 7:1. Thought Lucu was very good when he came on.

The most impressive thing for me was the French defence. They held out that initial Ire surge and all game long were rag dolling Irish carriers. Disciplined and intensely physical.

Ire will bounce back but as one of a number of good teams rather than in the top couple in the world. It does feel like the sun is slowly setting on a golden generation.

How I feel about it. No one has a right to be a top 2 team in the world, it's not sustainable. Less so for us than the usual suspects.

Leinster need to keep doing what they're doing but we need at least Munster to get back to being a top 8 European team, preferably Ulster to improve significantly too.

If you look at @big ginger 8 post in the Ireland thread there are very few players aged 26-29 (fortunately, those who are are largely best itw shouts), we had a few barron years there. Three unbeaten 6n years with a world championship final and semi finals from 2022-2024 would suggest that there's a lot of talent aged 21-23, a few of these will be world cuo bolters and I imagine they'll make up the bulk of the 2031 campaign which is the eraliest I see us being more than a dark horse at that tournament.

2027 should still be a good chance to end the QF hoodoo and duke it out from there. Who knows what can happen if we only have to play one of NZ or France across the tournament. They're generally the bad match ups for us.

 

[O’Doyle Rules]

How I feel about it. No one has a right to be a top 2 team in the world, it's not sustainable. Less so for us than the usual suspects.

Leinster need to keep doing what they're doing but we need at least Munster to get back to being a top 8 European team, preferably Ulster to improve significantly too.

If you look at @big ginger 8 post in the Ireland thread there are very few players aged 26-29 (fortunately, those who are are largely best itw shouts), we had a few barron years there. Three unbeaten 6n years with a world championship final and semi finals from 2022-2024 would suggest that there's a lot of talent aged 21-23, a few of these will be world cuo bolters and I imagine they'll make up the bulk of the 2031 campaign which is the eraliest I see us being more than a dark horse at that tournament.

2027 should still be a good chance to end the QF hoodoo and duke it out from there. Who knows what can happen if we only have to play one of NZ or France across the tournament. They're generally the bad match ups for us.

I also feel 2031 will feel like a home World Cup too - they'll put us in the cities with the biggest Irish concentration.

3 in a row would have been amazing but the 6N is a competition which just can't be dominated - not when you have alternate home and away fixtures. Next year it will be Ireland with the point to prove narrative - every year someone is gunning for you or you're gunning for them. See Scotland win next year against England. It's an incredibly tough tournement.

 

[Duct Tape]

I also feel 2031 will feel like a home World Cup too - they'll put us in the cities with the biggest Irish concentration.

3 in a row would have been amazing but the 6N is a competition which just can't be dominated - not when you have alternate home and away fixtures. Next year it will be Ireland with the point to prove narrative - every year someone is gunning for you or you're gunning for them. See Scotland win next year against England. It's an incredibly tough tournement.

We'll be there in Chicago, a very large Irish population, in Nov for the match v the AB's to test your hypothesis…

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I also feel 2031 will feel like a home World Cup too - they'll put us in the cities with the biggest Irish concentration.

3 in a row would have been amazing but the 6N is a competition which just can't be dominated - not when you have alternate home and away fixtures. Next year it will be Ireland with the point to prove narrative - every year someone is gunning for you or you're gunning for them. See Scotland win next year against England. It's an incredibly tough tournement.

Yeah, I'll be in auld enough lads in 2031 but I'm hoping for a Boston game. Won't miss that.