Ireland coach Andy Farrell admits his side were second best from the outset against France in Paris.
Ireland’s Six Nations title bid suffered an early setback as Les Bleus ran in three first-half tries as they raced into a 22-0 lead at half-time. The hosts added a fourth shortly after the restart to put the contest beyond doubt at a packed Stade de France.
“Obviously France were playing a different game to us in the first half,” Farrell said. “I suppose you make your own luck in this game, and rightly so with the way that they went about their business.
“They ended up creating chances off scraps on the floor, high balls and things like that, but that’s the game. You’ve got to show fight and intent, and we lacked a bit of that in the first half, which is very disappointing.”
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Despite second-half tries from Nick Timoney and Michael Milne either side of the hour mark, Ireland were unable to sustain a comeback, with France having the final say in a 36-14 victory that underlined their intent as defending champions.
Despite showing greater urgency after the break, with their replacements helping to shift momentum briefly, Farrell accepted the damage had already been done.
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“Congratulations to France, they were on a different level at times,” he said. “There was more than a bit of a response from us in the second half, but they were worthy winners, that’s for sure.
“The bench did have an impact. It wasn’t rocket science – just a bit more go-forward and grunt. We got a couple of tries from that, and it’s a pity we couldn’t get a few more because every point matters in this competition.”
Ireland next host Italy, while France travel to Wales.
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
The post Farrell: France were playing a different game appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Ireland coach Andy Farrell admits his side were second best from the outset against France in Paris.
The post Farrell: France were playing a different game appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
