DUBLIN (AP) – Ireland ended France’s 14-match winning run with a 32-19 bonus-point victory over its biggest rival for the Six Nations title in a breathless game between the world’s top two teams that lived up to its billing on Saturday.
A gripping first half featuring four tries – three of them to Ireland, including an amazing one-handed finish from James Lowe – gave way to an attritional second half that saw France hang on grimly until centre Garry Ringrose went over for the match-clinching 73rd-minute try.
France, the defending champion, lost for the first time since November 2021 against a team it had beaten in their last three meetings.
The top-ranked Irish are now firm favourites for a first Six Nations title since 2019, having opened the tournament by collecting five points from hammering Wales 34-10.
“It was a huge game, two great teams going at each other,” Ireland coach Andy Farrell said. “The fighting spirit was great but we also played some great stuff.
“We could have come away with a few more points but we won’t be greedy because we got the bonus point.”
Both teams scored stunning tries, with Damian Penaud getting France’s with an effort that began with the winger bursting out of his own 22, exchanging passes with flanker Anthony Jelonch, and then holding off two would-be tacklers to sprint over the line.
Lowe’s was different – and might have been better. Short of room in the left corner, the winger took off in the air under a challenge from Penaud and managed to ground the ball one-handed near the flag with his body virtually horizontal over the touchline. Footage appeared to show one of his feet scraping the grass while out of touch but the try was given.
Lock Tadhg Beirne and flyhalf Jonathan Sexton went off injured in the second half for Ireland, which has a two-week break before its third match, away to Italy.
France, which won in Italy in Round 1, hosts Scotland next with its ambitions of back-to-back Grand Slams having been extinguished at Lansdowne Road, where more than 60,000 spectators witnessed a game of five-star quality and intensity, especially in an end-to-end first half that felt like a basketball game at times.
“It is almost two years since we have lost, it is hard to take,” France coach Fabien Galthie said.
“The series of wins are there, now it is necessary to learn how to take a defeat.
“Defeat is not really a friend, but we will have to spend the day with her.”
The Irish played like they had a point to prove, with France the only major nation they hadn’t beaten since Farrell took over as coach after the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
