France secured their spot within the semifinals of the 2025 Rugby World Cup following a titanic wrestle with Ireland at Sandy Park in Exeter.
Coming away with an 18 – 13 victory, Les Bleus will now face both England or Scotland within the closing 4.
Going through a stiff breeze within the first half, France had been pinned deep by the Irish kicking recreation of Dannah O’Brien and Stacey Flood.
Gaining a transparent ascendancy at set-piece time, the Irish pack punished France with their potential to retain possession. Having fun with 81% of the territory and 67% possession, Ireland crossed the road twice by means of Linda Djougang and Flood, with O’Brien including a penalty to place Eire right into a 13 – 0 lead on the break.
Regardless of this dominance, France received the important second, weathering a 35-phase Irish storm to conclude the primary half.
Starting the second half in the identical method that Ireland ended the primary, Les Bleus camped down within the Irish half for the primary eight minutes. In contrast to Eire, they had been initially unable to essentially make this benefit depend, with Eire dominating at scrum time.
As an alternative, it will be France’s potential to interrupt from deep that will show to be the decider.
Defending on their five-meter line with fifteen minutes to play, France accomplished a turnover earlier than shortly shifting the ball by means of the fingers. Racing down the right-hand touchline, Joanna Grisez completed off the transfer to place her facet in entrance for the primary time within the contest.
9 minutes later, France would acquire their first little bit of daylight within the contest when Morgane Bourgeois slotted a penalty to place her facet out of penalty territory.
Entrance-Row – Benefit Eire
Utterly dominant from the off, the Irish scrum set the tone for Scott Bemand’s facet.
The beginning trio of Niamh O’Dowd, Neve Jones and Linda Djougang regularly had their French counterparts on curler skates.
This dominance noticed Djougang energy over for the opening attempt within the fifth minute following waves of Irish tight carries. The tighthead would proceed to be a focus for the Irish assault all through the complete 80 minutes, behind solely Aoife Wafer within the carry stakes with 24. Displaying her full array of abilities, Djougang topped the defenders crushed chart for Eire with three and was ferocious in defence with 13 tackles and a turnover.
At line-out time, Jones hit her marks in difficult circumstances to make sure a 94% win price with each Djougang and O’Dowd key orchestrators in Eire’s maul recreation. This strain would see France lock Manae Feleu obtain a yellow card on the stroke of half-time for collapsing a maul.
Second-Row – Benefit France
Arguably, the important thing distinction makers for Les Bleus, Manae Feleu and Madoussou Fall Raclot every had highly effective surges into the center of the Irish defence.
One carry particularly by Fall Raclot arrange a long-range French strike. Bursting by means of the Irish defensive position, the rangy lock raced fifty meters earlier than offloading to her assist runners. This offload could be one in all three for Raclot, who topped that division for her facet.
Defensively, the pair mixed for a whopping 46 tackles, with Feleu being joint high of the charts with 27. At line-out time, she could be her facet’s go-to possibility with three catches.
Again-Row – Benefit Eire
Ever heard of Aoife Wafer? In fact you will have. Almost dragging her workforce over the road, the Harlequins’ backrow was at occasions unplayable.
Topping the carry charts for her facet with 26, most of which had been instantly into heavy French visitors. Wafer proved as soon as once more why she is the important thing participant for her facet and why the teaching workers introduced her straight again into the beginning XV following her harm lay-off.
Defensively, Wafer was entrance and centre for her facet with 12 tackles (two dominant) and two big-time turnovers that launched the strain valve when Les Bleus had been going by means of the gears.
Shaking off two main hits, which had her on the bottom for an prolonged interval, Wafer epitomised the Irish spirit on the day.
Becoming a member of their openside in placing in large shifts, Fiona Tuite and Brittany Hogan had been each distinctive.
Getting on the ball with 14 carries, ten tackles and 6 line-out grabs, Tuite was a key cog within the Irish pack.
At quantity eight, Hogan took a big hit across the fiftieth minute however soldiered on for an additional seven minutes earlier than being pressured off. Her removing was a significant blow, given her spectacular carrying and hyperlink work, which was central to Eire’s potential to recover from the gainline.
Halfbacks – Benefit France
Each units of halfbacks had their moments in what had been brutally difficult circumstances.
When the large performs had been wanted, it was the French mixture of Pauline Bourdon Sansus and Lina Queyroi that made them.
Kicking right into a close to gale power within the first half, Bourdon Sansus’s correct field kicks had been completely essential to getting her facet off their very own line.
Equally, Queyroi nailed the trajectory off the boot, holding the ball low; she managed to get long way and accuracy when kicking for contact.
Shifting ways within the second half, the pair kicked lengthy, exposing gaps within the Irish backfield cowl. This technique piled strain on Eire, with Dannah O’Brien particularly being focused by the French chasers every time she was within the backfield.
Centres – Benefit France
Given the circumstances, each side relied closely on their centre combos to not solely make yards however retain possession.
For Eire, Eve Higgins was clearly the first-choice profession off-set piece and did effectively to arrange her workforce’s multiphase recreation plan.
Nevertheless, the French pairing of Gabrielle Vernier and Marine Menager had been scientific every time the ball got here their method.
Taking advantage of the minimal possession that got here their method, the pair sparked alternatives that shifted momentum all through the competition.
Menager particularly was a handful, making 61 meters off simply 5 carries with a line break and, crucially, a attempt help.
Defensively, the pair fronted up with Vernier being the important thing operator within the French backline, placing in 13 carries, 4 of which had been dominant tackles, which stopped Irish carriers of their tracks.
Again-Three – Benefit Eire
Placing on removed from pristine circumstances for the event, Sandy Park was a again three’s nightmare.
Focused all afternoon by the halfbacks, each side dealt with a difficult scenario effectively.
Eire’s trio of Stacey Flood, Beibhinn Parsons and Amee Leigh Costigan edged the proceedings.
Netting her facet’s second attempt, Flood was exemplary not solely along with her kick return however as a second distributor within the broad channels.
Defensively, the trio shut down Les Bleus’ potential to get broad by jamming in with well-timed tackles. Utilising their sevens abilities, every of the three went after the breakdown, which slowed down the French assault and allowed Eire to reset.
