| France (14) 31 |
| Tries: Castro-Ferreira 2, Tuifua, Perrin Cons: Raffy 4 Pen: Raffy |
| Eire (17) 37 |
| Tries: Sheahan, Gleeson, Gavin, Treacy Cons: Murphy 4 Pens: Murphy 3 |
Eire avenged their defeat in final 12 months’s World Championship last with a bonus-point 37-31 win over France within the U20s Six Nations sport in Provence.
First-half tries from Danny Sheahan and Brian Gleeson put Richie Murphy’s facet forward on the break, earlier than Hugh Gavin and Finn Treacy touched down within the second-half to safe a memorable win.
France scored 4 tries of their very own, captain Mathis Castro-Ferreira with two, whereas Patrick Tuifua and Mael Perrin scored after the break to make sure two shedding bonus factors.
The guests obtained off to the proper begin with solely 4 minutes on the clock, Sheahan powering over from shut vary after his facet received a line-out 5 metres out, Jack Murphy including the extras.
Minutes later, the hosts have been on degree phrases.
A melee off the ball on midway appeared to stir on the house forwards, and it was Castro-Ferreira who drove over after a number of punishing phases near the Irish line. Tom Raffy made no mistake from the tee.
If the French thought their rating would ship Eire into retreat they have been mistaken.
After an Evan O’Connell strive was chalked off for being wanting the road, the guests continued their pick-and-go strategy near the hosts’ line and quantity eight Gleeson smashed his approach over. Murphy once more added the additional two factors.
The see-saw script continued 4 minutes from the break with skipper Castro-Ferreira once more barging over after the hosts secured a penalty within the left-hand nook.
Raffy nailed an excellent kick to transform and degree the sport as soon as extra, earlier than Murphy grabbed a penalty kick within the dying seconds to ship the Irish in forward at half-time.
The French began the second interval with actual intent and obtained their noses again in entrance seven minutes in. Tuifua jinked his approach by means of earlier than driving over and Raffy’s conversion break up the posts.
Simply minutes later nonetheless, Eire have been again with one other rating on this dogfight of a match. Simply after winger Gregoire Arfeuil noticed yellow, the spectacular Gavin skipped by means of after some nice set-up work from the forwards. Murphy maintained his 100% document from the tee with the extras.
With 12 minutes remaining, Eire secured a bonus level with a Treacy landing from a kick by means of, after a French fumble in midfield. Murphy but once more stepped as much as convert.
France someway saved the strain on, and in an epic encounter levelled proceedings by means of substitute Perrin, crashing by means of regardless of the curiosity of 4 Irish defenders, to assert the bonus level for the house facet. Raffy grabbed one other two-pointer from the tee.
With the sport on a knife edge at 31-31, Murphy stepped as much as hearth over a pair of penalties within the final 5 minutes to win it for the Irish and keep their hopes of a document three in-a-row Grand Slam.
France U20: Ferte; Arfeuil, Taccola, Desperes, Bosmorin; Raffy, Carbonneau; Julien, Massa, Aouad; Gambini, Mezou; Zinzen, Tuifua, Castro-Ferreira (c)
Replacements: Couly, Ametlla, Duchene, Corso, Perrin, Quere Karaba, Nene, Biasotto
Eire U20: O’Connor; Treacy, De Klerk, Gavin, McLaughlin; J Murphy, Coffey; Usanov, Sheahan, Andrew Spicer; Alan Spicer, O’Connell (c); Hopes, Ward, Gleeson
Replacements: Walker, Howard, Boyd, Corrigan, L Murphy, Brophy, Naughton, Graham.
