France vs Ireland LIVE result: England win Six Nations as Irish come up short in Paris
Follow the latest updates from the Stade de France with the Championship on the line as France, Ireland and England all hope fate falls on their side in title decider
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Your support makes all the difference.Follow the latest updates from the Six Nations clash between France and Ireland in the Championship decider at the Stade de France.
After 14 games, four rounds and the longest Six Nations championship in history, the final round is set to be completed in Paris as both France and Ireland go for the title. England will be watching on hopefully following their final match against Italy in Rome, with Eddie Jones’s side the other team with title hopes well and truly alive - though they depend on the result of this match.
Ireland will win the Championship by one one three ways: by claiming a bonus-point victory, by beating France by seven points or more, or by beating France by six points as long as they score a try. If Ireland beat France by six points without a try, the title will be shared with England, while a five-point win or worse will hand England the spoils. The Rugby World Cup finalists will also win the Six Nations if France win, unless Les Bleus can claim an unlikely 31-point win with a bonus point to boot. Follow the live updates below.
15 mins: France 7-0 Ireland
Beirne wins a penalty for Ireland and again it goes into touch on the five-metre line. The throw isn’t good again, but it’s taken Sexton on the charge after being flapped at by Bundee Aki - who was in the lineout - and driven over the line before being held up. Ireland have the five-metre scrum put-in.
12 mins: France 7-0 Ireland
Ireland go to the corner and waste the lineout as it’s loose off the top that Sexton can only knock on. Can France exit their red zone? Yes they can as Dupont box-kicks just over halfway.
10 mins: France 7-0 Ireland
We have some controversy here. Keenan chips down the line deep in French territory and it’s a foot race against Bouthier that he’s winning. The ball bounces up over his head, but Bouthier inexplicably slaps the ball into touch deliberately. It’s a certain yellow card, but after a long TMO review it’s decided that there’s no guarantee Keenan would have scored and the penalty try cannot be given. Regardless, Bouthier goes to the in=bin and France are down to 14.
8 mins: France 7-0 Ireland
Such clinical finishing! The ball is whipped out wide to Fickou, who traps the ball and weighs up the defence in front of him. He likes what he sees as it’s tighthead prop Porter, and a quick in-and-out leaves the forward flailing and he beats Murray too for good measure, before passing inside to Antoine Dupont to score. Ntamack adds the conversion and France have an early lead.
5 mins: France 0-0 Ireland
It’s no good as Murray misses to the left, but I have to say that is an enormous effort from the scrum-half that cleared the uprights by about 10 metres!
4 mins: France 0-0 Ireland
Nope, they aren’t at all as Ireland win the penalty at the second scrum as Porter forces Baille to the turf . Sexton and Murray have a quick discussion, and Sexton points to the post - then hands the ball to Murray. It’s a long way out, about 57m by my reckoning…
2 mins: France 0-0 Ireland
It’s a fairly settled start. The kick-off isn’t gathered by Ireland, but knocked on by France, and the first scrum is the most equal and balanced scrum you will ever see that allows Ireland to clear their lines.
I have a suspicion, were France pushing there? They may just bring the pressure with the second scrum to catch Ireland cold.
1 mins: France 0-0 Ireland
France kick off and the final match of the 2020 Six Nations is under way!
FRANCE VS IRELAND
Two awful renditions of the national anthems over and done with - and there’s a real case that they shouldn’t happen at all without fans that I’m sure the players would agree with - and we’re ready to go.
Fittingly, Wayne Barnes is the man in the middle, a week after missing the Premiership final after testing positive for coronavirus.
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