6 NATIONS TEST RUGBY: Ireland Travel to Paris

11.02.2011
Ireland v France in Paris (6 Nations)

Venue: Stade de France

Referee: David Pearson (England)

Preview
Ireland will face a French side that is looking to be the favourite to take out the 2012 6 Nations International Championship. They will also have to contend with a frozen ground and a match played in –6deg temperatures.

Ireland also have history to deal with. Their record in Paris is dismal. Their last win here was in 2000, and before that they last won in 1972!

The only change Ireland has made is that Keith Earls comes in at centre for McFadden to go to the bench.

France has made wholesale changes to the team that defeated Italy comfortably last weekend. Such is the confidence of the new coach that he can afford to rotate his players. The French side loses little with the changes made.

In comes Harinordoquy for Bonnaire, Parra for the injured Yachvilli, Maestri for veteran Nallet, with Szarzewski and Poux in for Servat and Debaty in the front row.

Frozen pitch or not Ireland will have to play the sort of rugby they dished out to Australia at Eden Park way back in September if they are to overcome this French side. I just can’t seem to see that same same passions and fire in the Irish eyes.

Last Five Encounters
20.08.2011 France 26-22 in Dublin (World Cup Warm up)
13.08.2011 France 19-12 in Bordeaux (World Cup Warm up)
13.02.2011 France 25-22 in Dublin (6 Nations)
13.02.2010 France 33-10 in Paris (6 Nations)
07.02.2009 Ireland 31-20 in Dublin (6 Nations)

Ireland last defeated France in Paris in 2000, winning 27-25.

Ireland last Five
05.02.2012 v Wales L 21-23 in Dublin (6 Nations)
08.10.2011 v Wales L 10-22 in Wellington (World Cup, Quarter Final)
02.10.2011 v Italy W 36-6 in Dunedin (World Cup, Pool C)
25.09.2011 v Russia W 62-12 in Rotorua (World Cup, Pool C)
17.09.2011 v Australia W 15-6 in Auckland (World Cup, Pool C)

France Last Five
04.02.2012 v Italy W 30-12 in Paris (6 Nations)
23.01.2011 v New Zealand L 7-8 in Auckland (World Cup, Final)
15.10.2011 v Wales W 9-8 in Auckland (World Cup, Semi-Final)
08.10.2011 v England W 19-12 in Auckland (World Cup, Quarter Final)
01.10.2011 v Tonga L 14-19 in Wellington (World Cup, Pool A)

GWC Rugby Rankings
World Table-France 4th, Ireland 6th
Europe Table-France 1st, Ireland 5th

IRB Ranking Points
France 84.70, Ireland 79.25

Prediction: France by 15 points

Teams

Ireland

15		Rob Kearney	Leinster
14		Tommy Bowe	Neath Swansea Ospreys, Wales
13		Keith Earls	Munster
12		Gordon D'Arcy	Leinster
11		Andrew Trimble	Ulster
10		Jonathan Sexton	Leinster
9		Conor Murray	Munster
8		James Heaslip	Leinster
7		Sean O'Brien	Leinster
6		Stephen Ferris	Ulster
5		Paul O'Connell (Capt.)	Munster
4		Donncha O'Callaghan	Munster
3		Michael Ross	Leinster
2		Rory Best	Ulster
1		Cian Healy	Leinster
16		Sean Cronin	Leinster
17		Thomas Court	Ulster
18		Donnacha Ryan	Munster
19		Peter O'Mahony	Munster
20		Eoin Reddan	Leinster
21		Ronan O'Gara	Munster
22		Fergus McFadden	Leinster
		COACH: Declan Kidney

France

15		Maxime Medard	Toulouse
14		Vincent Clerc	Toulouse
13		Aurelien Rougerie	Clermont Auvergne
12		Wesley Fofana	Clermont Auvergne
11		Julien Malzieu	Clermont Auvergne
10		François Trinh-Duc	Montpellier
9		Morgan Parra	Clermont Auvergne
8		Louis Picamoles	Toulouse
7		Imanol Harinordoquy	Biarritz
6		Thierry Dusautoir (Capt.)	Toulouse
5		Yoann Maestri	Toulouse
4		Pascal Pape	Stade Francais
3		Nicolas Mas	Perpignan
2		Dimitri Szarzewski	Stade Francais
1		Jean-Baptiste Poux	Toulouse
16		William Servat	Toulouse
17		Vincent Debaty	Clermont Auvergne
18		Lionel Nallet	Racing Metro
19		Julien Bonnaire	Clermont Auvergne
20		Julian Dupuy	Stade Français
21		Lionel Beauxis	Toulouse
22		Maxime Mermoz	Perpignan
		HEAD COACH: Philippe Saint-Andre