Guinness Six Nations: Ireland v France

IRELAND: Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster); Mack Hansen (Connacht), Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster), Stuart McCloskey (Bangor/Ulster), James Lowe (Leinster); Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) (capt), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster); Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster), Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht), Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster), James Ryan (UCD/Leinster), Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster), Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster), Caelan Doris (St. Mary’s College/Leinster).

Replacements: Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster), Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster), Tom O’Toole (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster), Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster), Ross Byrne (UCD/Leinster), Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht).

FRANCE: Thomas Ramos (Stade Toulousain); Damian Penaud (ASM Clermont Auvergne), Gaël Fickou (Racing 92), Yoram Moefana (Union Bordeaux-Bègles), Ethan Dumortier (LOU Rugby); Romain Ntamack (Stade Toulousain), Antoine Dupont (Stade Toulousain) (capt); Cyril Baille (Stade Toulousain), Julien Marchand (Stade Toulousain), Uini Atonio (Stade Rochelais), Thibaud Flament (Stade Toulousain), Paul Willemse (Montpellier Hérault Rugby), Anthony Jelonch (Stade Toulousain), Charles Ollivon (RC Toulon), Grégory Alldritt (Stade Rochelais).

Replacements: Gaëtan Barlot (Castres Olympique), Reda Wardi (Stade Rochelais), Sipili Falatea (Union Bordeaux-Bègles), Romain Taofifenua (LOU Rugby), François Cros (Stade Toulousain), Sekou Macalou (Stade Français), Baptiste Couilloud (LOU Rugby), Matthieu Jalibert (Union Bordeaux-Bègles).

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant Referees: Matthew Carley (England), Jordan Way (Australia)
Television Match Official: Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)

Pre-Match Quotes: Andy Farrell (Ireland) –

It’s everyone who comes to the game buying into it and we’re a part of that package. Obviously everyone wants to start well and start strongly, and it’s something that we’ve done pretty well.

“But things ain’t going to go all according to plan when two good teams are going at it. So therefore it isn’t just getting them behind us and getting excited through the good times, it’s also making sure that the fans feel where we’re at in the game as well and try and drag us through because it’s certainly what our players felt last year in France.

“We nearly got there in Paris last year but nearly is not quite good enough, so therefore lessons learned.

“Transferring that to the field is obviously the aim but the French are going to have a big say in that as well. I expect France to be at their best.”

Fabien Galthié (France) –

We have gone with the same personnel due to the performance firstly, the victory with a bonus (in Rome), therefore they achieved their target.

“Cohesion too as it is three weeks that we have worked with this group, and finally confidence because we have confidence in our players who for three years have progressed together, that’s why there are no surprises in the starting XV or in the replacements.

“Ireland are one of the best opponents we have played but that will not prevent us being ambitious on Saturday.

“They are the best team in the world since last summer after their second win over the All Blacks. They have wonderful players, talented and above all a deep well of talent that they refresh regularly.”

Pre-Match Videos –

Opta Facts – Ireland v France:

– France have won each of their last three meetings with Ireland, this after winning just one of their previous nine encounters (D2, L6). Each of their last three meetings have been decided by single figure margins

– France won on their last trip to Dublin in the Guinness Six Nations (15-13 in 2021), however only once have they won back-to-back games in the Irish capital, doing so in 2005 and 2007.

– France have won away to Ireland in the Five or Six Nations in six of the previous nine Rugby World Cup years (1987, 1991, 1995, 1999, 2007 and 2011)

– France have won their last 14 matches, les Bleus’ longest ever winning run in Test history. Ireland have won 18 of their last 20 matches (L2), including their last six in-a-row

– Ireland have won 21 of their last 22 home games, including their last 12 in-a-row – their joint-longest winning run on home soil (also 2016-2018). However, France were the last team to beat Ireland at the Aviva Stadium, doing so in round 2 of the 2021 Guinness Six Nations

– Ireland were one of just two teams to record a 100% lineout success rate in the opening round of this year’s Guinness Six Nations (also Scotland), while they also stole three opposition lineouts, more than any other team. Only Wales (77%) had a lower lineout success rate than France (78%)

– France (37) and Ireland (33) were the only teams to beat 30-plus defenders in round 1 of this year’s Guinness Six Nations, while they were also the only sides to miss fewer than 20 tackles last weekend (Ireland 17, France 18)

– France completed the most offloads of any nation in the opening round of this year’s Guinness Six Nations (11), while Ireland’s Mack Hansen made the joint-most offloads of any player last weekend (3, level with Jack van Poortvliet)

– Ethan Dumortier scored a try for France on his debut last weekend and has scored 12 tries in his last 13 matches for club and country. The Lyon winger beat five defenders from just four carries in round 1, Gaël Fickou (6) was the only France player to beat more

– Ireland trio James Ryan, Andrew Porter and Dave Kilcoyne are set to win their 50th caps for Ireland in this fixture. Conor Murray will make his 50th appearance in the Guinness Six Nations

– Ireland’s Jonathan Sexton has scored 543 points in the Guinness Six Nations and needs just 15 points to surpass Ronan O’Gara (557) as the top point scorer in the history of the Championship. Sexton has scored 15-plus points in a match on 13 occasions in the Six Nations, including three times against France (2014, 2015 and 2018)