IRE
No.Name
15Rob Kearney, FB
T
14Tommy Bowe, W
13Keith Earls, C
12Robbie Henshaw, C
11Dave Kearney, W
10Johnny Sexton, FH
2
9Conor Murray, SH
T
1Cian Healy, P
2Rory Best, H
3Mike Ross, P
4Devin Toner, L
5Paul O'Connell, L
6Peter O'Mahony, FL
7Sean O'Brien, FL
8Jamie Heaslip, N8
Replacements
16Richardt Strauss, R
17Jack McGrath, R
18Nathan White, R
19Iain Henderson, R
20Chris Henry, R
21Eoin Reddan, R
22Ian Madigan, R
2
23Luke Fitzgerald, R

*Players currently on the pitch are shown in bold

Game Info

Venue: Principality Stadium
4:45 PM, October 11, 2015
Attendance: 72,163
All CommentaryKey Events

Match Commentary

82'And now we move on to USA vs Japan.
81'Martyn Thomas' verdict from Cardiff: "Amid a raucous atmosphere at the Millennium Stadium, Ireland secured the win they craved so much, and they richly deserved it. It came at a cost, with head coach Joe Schmidt potentially without four frontline players for the quarterfinal against Argentina as Paul O'Connell, Jonathan Sexton and Peter O'Mahony limped off and man of the match Sean O'Brien appeared to be guilty of punching Pascal Pape. But Ireland's fans should be allowed to bask in a wonderful win for now. Schmidt's side ultimately won the arm wrestle which enabled them to play the rugby that earned two tries. For France they flickered too briefly and will face New Zealand in Cardiff. But we know how that goes, right…"
81'+124-9 End of second half
80'A Spedding knock on brings the game to an end. Job done by ireland. Now they need to assess the wounded.
79'The French forwards move the ball through the phases.
78'The Irish scrum pushes the French back and then they win a lineout. The Irish are controlling the ball as we move into the final moments....
77'The heart has gone out of the French. They can prepare for the All Blacks next weekend. Ireland will be happy with Argentina. The Argentinians are no pushovers, but they're no All Blacks either.
77'Substitute on - Eoin Reddan , Ireland
77'Player substituted - Conor Murray , Ireland
77'24-9 Penalty goal - Ian Madigan , Ireland
76'Madigan's kick is good and it's 24-9.
74'Five minutes to go, Ireland have a penalty just inside the French half but are going to go for a long range effort (that will certainly take the full 60-seconds to take)
73'An interesting point about the TRY:
73'Player substituted - Pascal Pape , France
73'Substitute on - Alexandre Flanquart , France
73'Substitute on - Richardt Strauss , Ireland
73'Player substituted - Rory Best , Ireland
73'21-9 Conversion - Ian Madigan , Ireland
72'France attempt to run the ball back but there's a knock on and another assault comes to nought.
72'19-9 Try - Conor Murray , Ireland
71'The try finally came under the posts and Madigan kicks a straightforward conversion and Ireland have a 12-point cushion.
70'And another phase and another and Conor Murray finally gets the TRY!
69'Ireland win a penalty inside their own half and a long kick takes them down to the French 22 and a lineout and now a rolling maul and a ruck and another ruck and a half break by the forwards and more ferocious tackling by Les Bleus....
67'Another French lineout deep in Irish territory. France win the lineout but are pushed back a good 15 yards and have to start building again, and then they give up the ball for crossing. France look to have run out of steam and ideas and are staring at a quarter final against the All Blacks.
66'Quick French hands see the ball reach the wing but the irish stand firm again. The French then switch the ball the other way before the attack ends with a knock on.
65'France win a penalty for a high tackle (Parra is small so it's hard for a bigger guy to reach down) and kick for territory.
65'Player substituted - Eddy Ben Arous , France
65'Substitute on - Vincent Debaty , France
65'Substitute on - Nathan White , Ireland
65'Player substituted - Mike Ross , Ireland
64'The Irish pressurise the French into kicking the ball away. There are more men on the ground.
64'14-9 Penalty goal - Morgan Parra , France
64'Substitute on - Nicolas Mas , France
64'Player substituted - Rabah Slimani , France
62'Parra boots it over from long distance and it's a five-point game.
62'Substitute on - Alexandre Dumoulin , France
62'Player substituted - Mathieu Bastareaud , France
62'Substitute on - Luke Fitzgerald , Ireland
62'Player substituted - Keith Earls , Ireland
61'Now it's France's turn to drive forward. France have a penalty as O'Brien is ruled to have smothered the ball illegally.
60'
59'Ireland break with a Madigan chip over the French lines which almost creates the break. Almost. Ireland continue to drive forward.
59'Substitute on - Benjamin Kayser , France
59'Player substituted - Guilhem Guirado , France
58'Now France are inside the Irish 22 with a lineout and then a rolling maul. This time it is strong Irish tackling that ends the drive. Both defences have been STRONG.
57'
57'Player substituted - Cian Healy , Ireland
57'Substitute on - Jack McGrath , Ireland
56'Ireland are having the better of the exchanges at the moment and have a cushion of more than one score. But eventually this passage of play comes to an end with the French being awarded a penalty just outside their own 22.
55'The French ring the changes and bring on Parra to give them more attacking options. Meanwhile Ireland lose another player to injury.
55'Substitute on - Bernard le Roux , France
55'Player substituted - Damien Chouly , France
55'Player substituted - Sebastien Tillous-Borde , France
55'Substitute on - Morgan Parra , France
55'Player substituted - Frederic Michalak , France
55'Substitute on - Remi Tales , France
55'Player substituted - Peter O'Mahony , Ireland
55'Substitute on - Chris Henry , Ireland
54'
53'The Irish shove, the French hold, the ball is in the hands of the irish backs but then the ball is lost and France boot it clear.
51'Gaps are opening and this game looks as if it might have more points in it. Dusautoir fumbles in a dangerous area on the edge of his own 22 and ireland have the put in at the scrum.
50'Madigan misses the conversion from out wide and it's 14-6 to Ireland
50'14-6 Try - Rob Kearney , Ireland
49'There's an Irish ruck on the French line and eventually the ball is back to Kearney and he scores a TRY!
48'
48'Substitute on - Eddy Ben Arous , France
48'Player substituted - Vincent Debaty , France
47'And finally the Irish break with speed and gaps appear. Henshaw breaks the line but the attack ends a couple of yards short of the French line.
46'The Irish attempt to swing the ball wide and are almost intercepted. Another Irishman is down injured.
45'And then the Irish spill the ball forwards and France will have the scrum.
45'
44'Still a bit scrappy as neither side can find fluency and both teams are tackling ferociously. Ireland on the front foot but struggling to make good distance.
44'Here's Martyn Thomas' half-time verdict from Cardiff: "For the first half an hour events at the Millennium Stadium bore a striking resemblance to those at Twickenham 24 hours previously. Two impassioned teams arrived pumped up and determined not to lose with a quarterfinal against New Zealand one to be avoided. Freddie Michalak wobbled - uncharacteristically for this tournament - with the boot early on, but two long-range Scott Spedding penalties kept France in touch of Ireland, who struck through Jonny Sexton (2) and one from his replacement, Ian Madigan. There were gasps from those in green when Sexton hobbled off yet Madigan has injected pace into the Irish attack. How they may come to rue Keith Earls' butter fingers, though, when 80 minutes is up."
43'
43'
43'Player substituted - Eddy Ben Arous , France
43'Substitute on - Vincent Debaty , France
42'
42'Not sure we will see O'Connell come back after half-time - he looks as if he may have suffered a torn-hamstring in a ruck.
41'As Ireland look to break and as if they may have a man over at last, it is fumbled out wide.
41'The French win their own lineout and pass the ball well to Spedding who gets a half-break but not quite through. France are working the phases while ireland are a man down as their inspirational captain Paul O'Connell is down in midfield. Eventually Ireland win a penalty deep inside their own territory.
41'+19-6 End of first half
40'Ireland inch through the forward phases but keep on running into the sort of tackling that has already seen the Irish lose two of their most influential players.
40'Substitute on - Iain Henderson , Ireland
40'Player substituted - Paul O'Connell , Ireland
40'9-6 Start of second half
38'The French try to run but don't get far. Spedding boots it long to Madigan who boots it back but it's too far and goes straight into touch. Will France have an opportunity in time added on?
37'Ireland again have possession and are working through the forward phases just inside the French half, but they are making very few yards every time, and frequently going backwards. Sterling French defence.
36'Eventually the French clear their lines and Ireland will have a lineout inside their own half.
34'Madigan dinks a little kick into the corner and it bobbles and Spedding wants to pick it up but it just keeps bouncing away from him. French lineout deep in their own 22.
33'Neither side showing enough composure for a try here - it's going to be about the forward battle - who is stronger and who can avoid giving up penalties. The French get a turnover after an irish scrum, but then give the ball back with another penalty when in a dangerous area on the edge of the irish 22.
32'The Irish pack are now working through the phases. The French are defending high and ferociously and eventually Les Bleus win a penalty.
31'Ireland break and into the French 22 and Bowe passes the ball to Earls in a great position but he fumbles. Disaster for Ireland.
30'But the lineout goes long and gifts the ball back to France.
29'The kick off is long and Kearney runs it back, but eventually into trouble, although the referee decides that the French defence constituted obstruction there and Ireland have a penalty and a kick into touch for territorial gain.
29'9-6 Penalty goal - Ian Madigan , Ireland
28'It's a clean contact from a good distance out and Ireland lead 9-6.
27'Ireland have another penalty and here's a first chance for Madigan.
26'Our man at the last game of the day tweets this:
26'Player substituted - Johnny Sexton , Ireland
26'Substitute on - Ian Madigan , Ireland
25'Sexton was the victim of a huge - but just about legitimate - hit. He's blowing hard and Ireland are bringing on Madigan at fly-half. That is a blow to the Irish - especially if this game continues to be a kicking battle.
24'The French attack but then Ireland counterattack. Sexton is down again having taken another knock. There's more French interplay and a whistle but the two packs continue going at it, completely ignoring the referee.
23'
23'6-6 Penalty goal - Scott Spedding , France
22'Spedding makes it and it's 6-6. That was the joint longest penalty kick scored in this tournament.
21'And France have another penalty - just inside their own half - after a high Irish tackle. Sexton also getting some treatment.
20'Ireland kick the ball to France and there's some comedy chasing around in the French half as Nakaitaci jigs one way and then the other. No escape until his pack get back to support.
19'Sexton tucks it just inside the French post and it's 6-3 to Ireland.
19'6-3 Penalty goal - Johnny Sexton , Ireland
18'Ireland are moving forward in the midfield and have an advantage. They try for a drop-goal which bounces back off the post - and so Sexton will now have a penalty attempt instead.
18'Drop goal-missed
16'3-3 Penalty goal - Scott Spedding , France
15'
13'Michalak makes a lovely little break but is then halted. And then France get a penalty and Spedding equalises for France. Although his kick was long and straight enough, it was also more than a bit wobbly. 3-3.
13'3-0 Penalty goal - Johnny Sexton , Ireland
12'More toughness in the midfield. Meanwhile one of our regular readers/tweeters is with us from an unusual location:
11'No such troubles for Sexton has he kicks it straight down the middle. 3-0
10'And now Ireland have a penalty about 45 yards out. Here's Martyn Thomas from the stadium on France's first kick:
9'The Frenchman hits the post!
8'Another kicking opportunity for France - just inside the Irish half.
7'Furious rucking in the midfield ends with an Irish knock on, but at least they stopped Bastareaud from offloading.
6'Already signs that this game will feature all the blood and guts we suspected...but might be short on quality as a result. France spin the ball wide before the attack comes to nought.
5'And a wobbly Michalak kick goes wide.
4'Ireland win a scrum close to their own line and try to run the ball but then lose it to an offside and the French have a penalty and a chance to take an early lead.
3'Was there an off-the-ball punch? This could be feisty indeed.
2'It's a full-blooded start to the game with big kicks and hits and Ireland getting just a little better of the exchanges. There's a Frenchman undergoing long treatment near the halfway line while the action goes on around him.
1'Views on how this second half might play out:
1'And we are off...
1'This is the game that Pool D has been building up to. Ireland and France have comfortably-enough seen off the lesser lights and now they face-off to see who will top the group. The winner will face Argentina in the quarter-finals. The loser will face New Zealand. That seems like a pretty good incentive to play hard here. A preview can be found here. And here are some predictions: And this from our man in Cardiff:
1'0-0 Start of first half

Rugby World Cup 2015 News