Andy Farrell’s Ireland started getting shot of their World Cup hangover as they staged a smash and grab raid on the French in Marseilles.
Farrell’s side were fuming, like the hosts, after being knocked out of France 2023 at the quarter-final stage but this five-try win got their Six Nations off to a flyer.
AlamyTry scorer Dan Sheehan leads Irish joy[/caption]
Ireland’s Jamison Gibson-Park storms over for the first try of the championshipSportsfile
PAPaul Willemse amazingly saw red for two replica yellow-card offences[/caption]
And it means at least one Farrell will have a massive say in this tournament with the boss’s son, Owen, off-limits for England after taking a break from internationals.
No Johnny Sexton, no problem, for the Ireland team as they buried an Antoine Dupont-less home side with a display of typical fury.
Sexton’s replacement, fly-half Jack Crowley stood up and was counted with 13 points and a try-making pass as Ireland put their foot on the throat of the 14-man hosts.
And Leinster second row Joe McCarthy had a stormer proving Farrell he was right to pick him ahead of James Ryan.
Hooker Dan Sheehan got the crucial fourth try when Ireland had skipper Peter O’Mahony in the bin and they head home to face Italy in Dublin next Sunday as favourites for the title.
France had lock Paul Willemse red-carded for two yellows, both for head shots, after 31 minutes and he was lucky not to go earlier.
First, he clobbered Andrew Porter and was sinbinned on nine minutes then he smashed into Ireland No.8 Caelan Doris and English ref Karl Dickson had no choice.
Ireland made the most of it, sprinting to a 17-3 lead thanks to scores from scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park and second row Tadhg Beirne who was put under the sticks by Crowley.
AlamyDamian Penaud flies over for France’s first score[/caption]
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But wing Damian Penaud came off his flank to bring it back to a seven-point game at the break as the French rallied after Willemse’s brain fade.
Ireland came out flying in the second half and a moment of brilliance from centre Robbie Henshaw, delaying a pass off the floor to Doris, put rookie wing Calvin Nash over on the left wing.
The French metronome Thomas Ramos has missed a kickable penalty moments earlier and the full-back was made to pay.
But France drove over and Willemse’s partner in the engine room Paul Gabrillagues was given the score and O’Mahony was carded for pulling the maul down on 53 minutes.
Gabrillagues was almost immediately replace by Manu Tuilagi’s nephew, 19-year-old Poloso Tuilagi, who weighs in at 24 stone, as the French bomb squad arrived.
But Sheehan’s try defused their threat as Ireland stretched the lead to 14 points with Crowley’s touchline conversion. Then Ronan Kelleher, on for Sheehan, finished the job.
Scorers – France: Tries: Penaud, Gabrillagues; Cons: Ramos (2); Pen: Ramos. Ireland: Tries: Gibson-Park, Beirne, Nash, Sheehan, Kelleher; Cons: Crowley (5); Pen: Crowley.
AFPIreland scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park offloads in the Six Nations opener[/caption]