Why Ireland Must Target 'finer Margins' After France Defeat

ByAndy Gray

BBC Sport NI Journalist

Ireland headed to Clermont pinch hopes of a historical first triumph connected French soil, and pinch 1 oculus connected revenge.

France had 8 consecutive wins complete Ireland, who were closing nan spread moreover if their past gathering led to a constrictive World Cup quarter-final exit.

The Irish players had spoken beforehand astir owing France 1 for that defeat, and nan belief that is truthful often kept wrong a group was connected afloat display.

However, astatine nan extremity of it all, they near France empty-handed, beaten 26-7 arsenic they were made to salary for not taking their chances.

"I'm really proud of nan girls. We showed what we are tin of and what we are trying to do. It's conscionable good margins retired there," Ireland skipper Erin King said.

"We fired shots and we are truthful capable. We put unit connected France and we could spot it successful that first half especially.

"We've showed that we tin compete pinch nan apical 4 successful nan world, truthful it's astir getting it complete that line."

After nan large talk successful nan build-up, Ireland blew France distant successful nan opening 40 minutes but, largely, were near unrewarded for their efforts.

Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald crossed for Ireland but had 2 efforts chalked off, while Brittany Hogan and Fiona Tuite were besides denied first-half scores.

France, who are tipped to meet England successful a Grand Slam decider connected nan last time of nan Six Nations, showed a objective separator and moved clear aft nan restart done Carla Arbez, Anais Grando and Lea Champon, while Ireland could not backmost up their first-half capacity and fell short.

Under caput coach Scott Bemand, Ireland person moved up to 5th successful nan world and stunned New Zealand and Australia successful 2024, but nan elusive Six Nations scalp goes on.

England had excessively overmuch connected nan opening day, erstwhile a slow commencement was punished, and conclusion by France shows location is still activity to beryllium done.

"In these kinds of Test matches nan margins go finer, truthful we're aft finer margins than we were," Bemand said.

"Nail your footwear to touch and nail your exit - they are nan type of things that don't fto France in.

"We will support going aft nan finer margins and support trying to get better. I've sewage a group who is up for that."

Ireland backmost statement Edel McMahon, sidelined though injury, said connected nan Ireland Rugby Social that location would beryllium frustrations nan squad came up short.

"The England crippled was a missed opportunity, they will feel, because that was astir apt a mediocre England capacity but they were excessively precocious starting into nan game," McMahon said.

"They made a accelerated commencement against France, but we didn't get nan tries connected nan committee aliases nan scores.

"It didn't spell Ireland's measurement and that was highly frustrating erstwhile we were location confrontationally."

Former Ireland prop Lindsay Peat felt nan preamble of 5 players disconnected nan chair successful nan 47th infinitesimal was a "momentum killer" erstwhile "we still felt successful control".

Peat singled retired nan withdrawal of hooker Moloney-MacDonald and said nan number of changes truthful early successful nan crippled tin "unsettle a team".

"I conscionable felt for illustration everyone fed disconnected her energy," Peat said.

"That was a connection capacity and I deliberation she had different 10 minutes successful her."

Peat and McMahon besides pointed retired mini moments, specified arsenic nan missed punishment and missed touch from nan different awesome Dannah O'Brien erstwhile Ireland were chasing nan game, and nan deficiency of a reappraisal connected nan opening French effort from Ambre Mwayembe, which looked to beryllium held up by Aoife Wafer but went unchallenged.

After each nan hype and build-up astir taking nan crippled to France, Ireland will now person to hold different twelvemonth to person different spell astatine toppling Les Bleues.

For McMahon, she says nan "frustrations will move to focus" earlier nan last 2 games of nan Six Nations.

After a week off, Ireland will big Wales successful Belfast and Scotland successful Dublin to information retired their tournament, and nan purpose will now beryllium to consolidate 3rd position.

"They are a dependable group and they will move that type of emotion into attraction and a want to beryllium better," McMahon said.

"You don't request to interest astir nan conflict of, 'oh, do we request to hype nan girls up?'.

"They will usage nan frustrations successful nan correct channels to make judge they are better."