Ireland Trail at Half time

06/04/02.Tries from Serge Betsen in the third minute and two more from Nicolas Brusque and Aurelien Rougerie in the closing quarter put France into a 28-5 interval lead in Paris.

Ireland recovered from the blow of that early score to score a try from Keith Wood after a series of drives at the French line. But Merceron then added a penalty before slack Irish defence let the French in for two tries. Ireland ended the half attacking the French line, the final move ending when David Humphreys knocked on.