France vs Ireland LIVE: Six Nations rugby result and final score as Melvyn Jaminet seals thrilling victory

France 30-24 Ireland: Follow latest reaction from Stade de France as Les Blues ended the visitors’ unbeaten run in a Six Nations thriller

France tune-up for Ireland in battle of Six Nations favourites

Follow live reaction as France defeated Ireland in a thrilling Six Nations match in Paris. Antoine Dupont scored the opening try within two minutes as the hosts made a dream start, before Mack Hansen stole the ball from a high kick as Ireland struck back.

Melvyn Jaminet kicked France into a commanding lead at half-time only for Ireland respond thanks to quickfire scores from Josh van der Flier and Jamison Gibson-Park.

Cyril Baille put France back in control and while Joey Carbery cut the lead to three points thanks to a late penalty, Jaminet sealed the win at the death to end Ireland’s unbeaten run and put the hosts in control of the Six Nations.

It leaves France at the top of the table and with the only unbeaten record after Wales defeated Scotland in Cardiff earlier in the day. England can join Ireland, Wales and Scotland on one win with a victory tomorrow in Rome.

Follow all the reaction from the Stade de France blow:

Six Nations: France vs Ireland

• TRY! Dupont gives France lead inside two minutes: 7-0
• TRY! Ireland hit back through Hansen in fast start: 10-7
• HT: Jaminet extends France’s lead from the tee: 19-7
• TRY! Van der Flier cuts France’s lead: 22-14
• TRY! Gibson-Park crosses for quickfire score: 22-21
• TRY! France hit back through Baille: 27-21
• FULL-TIME: France hold off Ireland fight back: 30-24

[12 February 2022 17:43 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

The players are back out there

40 minutes of a huge clash remain. Dan Sheehan is still out there, by the way - Ronan Kelleher’s evening was ended prematurely by injury.

[12 February 2022 17:42 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

H/T: France 19-7 Ireland

France have really attacked the inside channels so far, bringing forward runners in from wider to try and challenge Joey Carbery and Bundee Aki particularly. A combined 17 tackles for the pair in that first half, but they have mostly stood up well to the heavy charges. Can they do more in an attacking sense? A little bit more lineout surety would be welcomed by both sides - we haven’t seen too much of Ireland’s impressive structures that have been the framework for this winning run.

[12 February 2022 17:36 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Antoine Dupont’s fast start

[12 February 2022 17:35 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

H/T: France 19-7 Ireland

Well that first half certainly lived up to this fixture’s lofty billing. It started at a frantic, frightening pace, with France’s fast start answered by Mack Hansen’s opportunistic retort from the restart. The tempo has settled a little since then, but this has still been a game played at startling speed.

And France have started to just assert themselves. Their scrum looks strong, Antoine Dupont has been electric and all of their ball-carriers are hitting their line with both precision and intensity. Ireland’s defence has largely stood up to the test, but fatigue will surely play a role after such a frenzied opening.

[12 February 2022 17:30 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

HALF TIME: FRANCE 19-7 IRELAND

(Getty Images)

[12 February 2022 17:29 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

PENALTY! FRANCE 19-7 Ireland (Melvyn Jaminet penalty, 40 minutes)

Five from five from the tee for Melvyn Jaminet. That’ll do us for the first half.

[12 February 2022 17:28 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

France 16-7 Ireland, 38 minutes

Cyril Baille and Uini Atonio each turn the screw on their Irish opposite at the scrum. Andrew Porter turns in under the strain - Atonio and Paul Willemse really is a ridiculous combination of burly blokes to pile the pressure on the loosehead.

Antoine Dupont twice threatens to turn a fissure into something more serious for Ireland, possessing such power in that compact frame, but a timely intervention from Bundee Aki means France will settle for three more points.

[12 February 2022 17:26 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

France 16-7 Ireland, 37 minutes

Antoine Dupont’s first attempt to box kick a clearance is blocked by Tadhg Beirne, but his second is cleared for takeoff and lands in the hands of Hugo Keenan. Keenan kicks powerfully back towards Dupont, clearing the scrum-half, but he’s over-cooked that - it tumbles beyond the dead ball line and France will have the scrum feed in the Ireland half.

[12 February 2022 17:24 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

PENALTY! FRANCE 16-7 Ireland (Melvyn Jaminet penalty, 36 minutes)

Melvyn Jaminet extends the home side’s lead.

[12 February 2022 17:23 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

France 13-7 Ireland, 34 minutes

Brilliant from France. Antoine Dupont throws an obscene pass from the base of a ruck to cut out three Ireland defenders and find Damian Penaud, a gorgeously lithe runner who strides beyond Jamison Gibson-Park. The winger’s blind offload out the side door if beautiful, and Yoram Moefana stays infield with a driven angle back against the grain.

A retreating Ireland are penalised.