Ireland facing World Cup exit after France defeat
Brian O'Driscoll fail to inspire Ireland
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Friday, 21, Sep 2007 11:08
Ireland face an uphill battle to stay in the World Cup after they went down to a 25-3 defeat against France in the pool D match at the Stade de France this evening.
The Irish now face the daunting task of scoring four tries against Argentina and beating them by seven points in their final group game in Paris in nine days time to qualify for the quarter-finals.
After disappointing victories over minnows Namibia and Georgia, Eddie O'Sullivan's Ireland team were expected to put in a much better performance against the hosts.
But they fail to create very little going forward and it was the flamboyant French who scored the only two tries of the game.
Jean-Baptiste Elissalde kicked a penalty after seven minutes to give the host nation the lead. Three minutes later Ronan O'Gara had a simple penalty to draw the teams level, but the fly-half, who has had a disappointing World Cup, missed the kick.
France created the best try scoring opportunity of the first half and only a last ditch tackle from Shane Horgan managed to stop Clement Poitrenaud from going over the try-line.
Ellisalde kicked three more first half penalties and O'Gara managed to convert a drop-goal to keep Ireland in the game as the teams went into the break with France ahead 12-3.
Ireland started the second half well, but instead of trying to run the ball and breaking the French defence, captain Brian O'Driscoll and O'Gara kept kicking for the corners with little success.
And they were made to pay for their lack of invention when Elissalde kicked another penalty and then Vincent Clerc latched onto a brilliant kick from Frederic Michalak behind the Irish defence to score the first try after 57 minutes.
Ireland's miserable night was completed when Elissalde caught Clerc's chip and held off three Irish players to score his second try in the corner.