Ireland ended France’s hopes of the Six Nations Grand Slam on Sunday as they fought off a fierce second-half comeback to draw 17-17.
Two tries by Tommy Bowe — taking his tally to five for the tournament — and seven points from Jonathan Sexton, with Morgan Parra kicking two penalties, gave Ireland a 17-6 halftime lead.
However, a try by Wesley Fofana — making it three in three matches — and two more penalties by Parra leveled the game and denied Ireland their first win in Paris since 2000 and only their third in 30 years.
Photo: AFP
“To be ahead at halftime and then get that result is disappointing,” Ireland captain Paul O’Connell said. “It is frustrating not to win. We played good rugby in the first half, but in the second half there were a few penalties that I would like to have a look at. This was a great opportunity to win — we didn’t take it.”
Ireland coach Declan Kidney praised his team’s efforts.
“We have been in two close matches now, the boys put in a huge effort,” Kidney said. “We said at halftime that we needed to be true to ourselves, and don’t try and do anything magical. These games are decided by tight margins.”
Fofana was shattered at seeing his team’s Grand Slam dream ended.
“It’s great to score another try, but it’s frustrating to end up with a draw which ends our Grand Slam hopes,” he said.
Sexton was presented with a great chance to give Ireland the lead in the seventh minute, but the Leinster flyhalf completely fluffed the attempt in front of the posts.
However, Ireland did break the deadlock shortly before the quarter-of-an-hour mark as Bowe intercepted Aurelien Rougerie’s long pass out to Clement Poitrenaud and ran in to touch down under the posts — Sexton made no mistake this time to make it 7-0.
France took their time to break into the visitors’ territory, but when they did they carved out a good opening which was only stopped when Conor Murray went offside, but Parra stepped up to kick the resulting penalty.
However, France were promptly penalized down their end and Sexton slotted it over to restore the seven-point gap.
Parra quickly reduced the arrears as the Clermont star converted a penalty from just inside the Ireland half — the ball creeping over the bar and, to add insult to injury, hitting an unsuspecting Bowe on the head.
Parra missed with another opportunity in the 35th minute after Cian Healy became the butt of the fans frustration when coming back from an offside position he blocked what could well have been a try-scoring pass from Rougerie to Vincent Clerc.
Ireland then fashioned a try out of nothing just before the break.
Breaking out of their 22, Keith Earls offloaded to Bowe and the 28-year-old wing broke one tackle, before chipping ahead and outstripping Poitrenaud to touch down — Sexton’s conversion went in off the post to give the visitors a healthy 17-6 halftime lead.
That became 17-9 in the 47th minute as Parra made no mistake from wide out on the left and the lead was reduced further three minutes later when Fofana’s individual brilliance saw him win the ball outside the Ireland 22 and, using his electric speed, he beat Rob Kearney to touch down in the corner.
Parra missed the conversion to leave Ireland holding on to a 17-14 lead, but he had them all square shortly before the hour mark as he landed a long-range penalty.
Ireland’s ill-fortune continued within seconds as Murray went to ground clutching his knee in agony and had to be stretchered off to be replaced by Eoin Reddan.
The visitors spurned two great chances when Rory Best’s throw went askew with the lineout meters from the France line, and although they regained possession from France, veteran center Gordon D’Arcy knocked on when under no pressure.
France also made a mess of trying to end the stalemate when Lionel Beauxis’ attempt at a drop-goal barely took off and Ireland cleared.
The hosts came back and punched away at the Ireland defense which held strong and, unlike in the last-minute defeat by Wales, did not concede a late penalty.
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