The opening game of the Six Nations went as expected, but it wasn't what most expected. Ireland's dominant display, buoyed by a red card for France's Paul Willemse and a clinical performance of their own, secured a decisive bonus-point win over Les Bleus 38-17 in Marseille.
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Clinical execution from Ireland
From the moment Willemse saw the red, Ireland were in control. Scrumhalf Jamison Gibson-Park darted out for the first try after a deft offload from Bundy Aki, followed by Tajig Beirne receiving a pinpoint pass from flyhalf Jack Crowley under the posts. I jumped into it.
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Ireland vs. France was no longer a tense battle, but a masterful battle of numerical superiority.
Red card hinders France
Willemse's sending off for a dangerous tackle on Caelan Doris further hampered France's efforts. Despite a late try from Damien Penault, Ireland held a comfortable 17-10 lead at half-time.
Ireland: Bonus secured in the second half
In the second half, Ireland extended their lead with tries from debutant Calvin Nash and hooker Dan Sheehan. Despite France briefly fighting back with a try from Paul Gabriag, Ireland v France remained firmly in the hands of the visiting team.
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Ronan Kelleher added a late try to seal a resounding victory and earn him a crucial bonus point.
french horny mount
France clearly lacked the influence of magical scrum-half Antoine Dupont, and could only lament their lack of discipline and inability to build a sustained attack. Head coach Fabien Galthie is facing increasing pressure after a disappointing start to Ireland's game against France.
key player
Jack Crowley, who stands in for the retired Johnny Sexton, has been impressed with the Ireland fly-half. He converted all five tries, took a penalty kick and showed off his composure and talent in the high-pressure match between Ireland and France.
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For the future
This victory set the stage for Ireland to defend their title. While they will aim to build on this momentum in their next game against Italy, France will need to regroup and find answers before the game against Scotland. Ireland vs France may be over, but the Six Nations has only just begun.
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