Majestic France destroy Irish Six Nations Grand Slam dreams

France produced a devastating second-half display to hammer Ireland 42-27 in Dublin to destroy the hosts’ hopes of the Six Nations Grand Slam and make themselves favourites to win the title.

The French scored five tries — two to Louis Bielle-Biarrey — as they ran the Irish ragged, storming back from 13-8 down early in the second-half into a 42-13 lead.

This despite playing for more than half the match without talisman Antoine Dupont.

The French — the last side to win a Six Nations match in Dublin, in 2021 — top the table by two points heading into their final match at home to Scotland next Saturday.

“The secret was to play the whole 80 minutes with all of the intensity that we have,” said the outstanding Bielle-Biarrey.

“We know they have a very good and fit team. I think we did the job.”

It was a massive blow to Ireland who were hoping to become the first team to win three successive championships.

“I think we didn’t control it well enough in the middle section of the second half,” said skipper Caelan Doris.

“There was some discipline with some back-to-back penalties, we gave them entry but they played their power game.

“They got a bit of momentum and when we got tight defensively, they can spread it wide to score. That hurt us, big time.”

Cian Healy, Conor Murray and Peter O’Mahony, who will retire from Test rugby at end of the tournament, led the hosts onto the pitch.

Healy, Ireland’s most capped player with 137 appearances, wiped a tear from his eye but it would not be the only tear of regret shed by the Irish as the match went on.

“Three Irish legends… We wanted them to finish their careers on a high here,” said Doris.

“We have to go and put it right next week with a big performance,” before the trip to Italy.

Despite early Irish dominance the home side came away with nothing, Gregory Alldritt doing brilliantly to prevent his fellow No 8 Doris marking his 50th cap with an early try.

In a move labelled “cynical” by referee Angus Gardner, Irish lock Joe McCarthy was handed a yellow card for tugging back Thomas Ramos as he supported Bielle-Biarrey.

It was to cost Ireland dear.

Bielle-Biarrey double

Within a minute Bielle-Biarrey had touched down, the seventh successive Test he has scored a try.

“I got good ball to play,” said the wing. “It’s my job to finish the tries.”

It was Bielle-Biarrey’s third double in four matches in this Six Nations – he has now scored 11 tries in his last seven Tests.

Ramos failed to land the conversion but the momentum was with the French at 5-0 up and the massed ranks of their supporters were in full voice.

They turned to groans as just before the half hour mark as Dupont stayed down after slipping over going into a ruck and despite treatment limped off, ice on his knee, to be replaced by Maxime Lucu, the only back on the French bench.

The Irish finally got on the board as Prendergast stroked over a penalty for 5-3 with five minutes remaining of the first period.

Soon after Ramos converted a penalty for 8-5 but Prendergast’s jaw-dropping penalty from halfway meant there was just two points difference at the break.

The Irish went ahead for the first time in the match shortly after the restart — hooker Dan Sheehan going over in the corner.

Prendergast landed a brilliant conversion from the touchline for 13-8 to Ireland but that was as good as it got for the home side.

In the 46th minute, Calvin Nash was sin-binned for a high tackle and Gardner allowed a French try by Paul Boudehent despite fierce debate over whether O’Mahony had been taken out by Thibaud Flament.

Ramos knocked over the conversion for 15-13 to France who backed up their one-man advantage with a brilliant second try by Bielle-Biarrey.

His pace was too much for the Irish defence as he followed up his kick.

Ramos converted and added a penalty to make it 25-13.

The one-way traffic continued as Oscar Jegou — normally in the scrum but playing in the centre owing to Pierre-Louis Barassi’s head injury — went over for his first Test try.

Again Ramos converted before adding another penalty for 35-13.

The Irish pressed for a consolation try but Ramos intercepted a Prendergast pass on the French line.

He then released Damian Penaud who raced over to level Serge Blanco’s national try scoring record of 38. Ramos converted for 42-13.

There was to be one last home hurrah for Healy, who bulldozed over for his 13th Test try and Conan added another although it was the French who were celebrating at the final whistle.