France vs Ireland | Friday Night Lights

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France vs Ireland
Guiness Six Nations 2024
Opening Match

Round One
Friday 2nd of February, 2024
Vélodrome Marseille
Kick Off 20:00 GMT

Referee: Karl Dickson (Eng)
ARs: Matthew Carley (Eng) & Jordan Way (Aus)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wal)

TV Coverage ITV 1
Virgin Media (ROI)

Teams

France
T Ramos; D Penaud, G Fickou, J Danty, Y Moefana; M Jalibert, M Lucu; C Baille, P Mauvaka, U Atonio; P Gabrillagues, P Willemse; F Cros, C Ollivon, G Alldritt (capt).

Replacements: J Marchand, R Wardi, D Aldegheri, R Taofifenua, C Woki, P Boudehent, N Le Garrec, L Bielle-Biarrey.

Ireland
H Keenan; C Nash, R Henshaw, B Aki, J Lowe; J Crowley, J Gibson-Park; A Porter, D Sheehan, T Furlong; J McCarthy, T Beirne; P O'Mahony (capt), J van der Flier, C Doris.

Replacements: R Kelleher, C Healy, F Bealham, J Ryan, R Baird, J Conan, C Murray, C Frawley.

Shows what I know!

Will need to see more replays but I thought there wasn't a sudden drop

Good try by Ireland.

Anyway, Ireland have made the most of the 10 mins under the YC

10-0 Ireland

These cards are ruining the games. We have to keep people safe, so I am not sure what the hell to do about it. So many of these happen in a split second....

Jeez that was knocked on by France, surely a pen!

Ah you cant miss those kicks

Ireland could have put this game to bed if they had taken their chances

6 pt turnaround there

Ouch, open door try there for Ireland

Another try for Ireland. It has to be said, Crowley looks a lot more settled now.

France not even getting a look-in so far ...

Did you hear that?

That's Mount Edwards erupting....

On the Willemse incident, there was no wrap which I understood meant you could not apply any mitigation?

I also don't think there was a drop in height regardless of wrap or no wrap!

At the very least, this is another YC = RC

Oh dear ... France are really up against it now.

Well that's the game.

France have looked awful so I don't think they were coming back with 15 anyway.

The refs got there in the end

Ah well it's all moot anyway as he did it again!

France are killing themselves!

RDW wrote:On the Willemse incident, there was no wrap which I understood meant you could not apply any mitigation?

I also don't think there was a drop in height regardless of wrap or no wrap!

If there was no wrap that's what I understood too - but the bunker, as in the RWC, seems to be on a different set of interpretations ...

Gee, I switch over for 2 mins and there’s a red card! Ireland are surely a sure thing now.

Ireland are currently winning the kicking game and both tries originated from lineouts which France can't get anywhere near.

Heaf wrote:

RDW wrote:On the Willemse incident, there was no wrap which I understood meant you could not apply any mitigation?

RDW wrote:
I also don't think there was a drop in height regardless of wrap or no wrap!

If there was no wrap that's what I understood too - but the bunker, as in the RWC, seems to be on a different set of interpretations ...

Yep there was huge inconsistencies in the WC.

You can be sure another incident like this will come up in the 6N and will be interesting to see if the same decision is made!

Good for France, they are not letting this game go

Long way to go, but still in the game

Well that try keeps the game interesting!

France threatening to do France things.

17-10 Ireland at HT

Willemse is a muppet. He knew he'd got away with one first time round and then the second one was just unnecessary. He's left his team with a mountain to climb.

Lucu is a classy 9 but he looks like a deer in the headlights. Looks like he could have done with an easier game to ease himself in. Looks like he needs a second more than Ireland are giving him.

Ireland are doing Ireland things. Defence is great they just need to be patient and go through the gears in attack.

Need to make this one man count. Crowley should have really made that penalty.
McCarthy has been good first half.
Hopefully score first in this second half. Push on for the win.

Oh, that one was a straight red? Didn't seem worse than the first one.

Second YC is officially a RC now

He'll be missing a few games now

BigGee wrote:Second YC is officially a RC now

He'll be missing a few games now

As long as the other big locks aren't to seriously injured it's not a big loss for France. They've got some monsters at second row.

BigGee wrote:Second YC is officially a RC now

He'll be missing a few games now

Baffling how that was deemed worse

Bunker wanting to look like they are doing something and thought well he's got a red for 2 yellows anyway so what the hell ...

Stunning team try

That was clinical!

Ireland look very comfortable

France might feel a bit aggrieved conceding from a decidedly iffy pen ...

Joe McCarthy is an absolute monster

Could be a star in the making

Dickson took a while to pick up Crowley for taking out Fickou there. Only took a couple of minutes of constant booing for the TMO to interject.

Huge call to change that penalty. Not a correct one IMO - Fickou was taken out by his own player as much as anything

RDW wrote:Joe McCarthy is an absolute monster

Could be a star in the making

I saw Austin Healey had him as a starter at lock for a predicted 2025 Lions side. He's clearly got the potential.

POM collapsing a maul - who would have thought it?

Gonna be a try surely as on field decision was try and nothing clear to overrule

McCarthy has been good, and the opposition forwards’ are no pushovers.

France back in contention with that try and card.

Try for France and yellow card for Ireland would make this very much game on.

Try for France and yellow card for Ireland would make this very much game on.

Back to even sides for 10 mins

Could be interesting

Is Ben Whitehouse now a professional TMO?

Maine man wrote:Is Ben Whitehouse now a professional TMO?

Officially or in terms of competence?