The final two to win the Six Nations title faced each other in front of a capacity crowd on the opening night, with tries from Jamison Gibson-Park, Taj Balin, Calvin Nash and Dan Sheehan leading to Ireland's victory. It was certain that they had earned the maximum points.
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France paid the price for their indiscipline, with Paul Willemse receiving a red card for two yellows in the first half. But Ireland's advantage wasn't just due to the extra players, they were able to capitalize on the games that saw them reach the top of the world standings last year and take chances against the French defence.
Les Bleus continued to fight despite being down 14 points, with tries from Damien Penault and Paul Gabriag, but they were forced into too many mistakes against an opponent who didn't need the invitation to attack a second time. .
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It was no surprise that Ireland, who were assured of victory, scored the winning goal. Like Sheehan before them, their rolling maul led to Ronan Kelleher scoring the fifth and final try, sealing a record victory over Les Bleus in France. The match featured perhaps the most frustrating encounter of the World Cup, with both teams losing in a heart-breaking quarter-final.
Ireland, without retired captain Johnny Sexton, appear to have digested the disappointment well, but Les Bleus are looking for answers in the absence of captain Antoine Dupont and are looking to win an Olympic medal this summer. He is on duty with Sevens.
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Negotiations between the six countries are progressing smoothly
