The efficient machine of yesteryear had coughed and spluttered its way through the early portions of 2019, but finally, Ireland fired against a facile French challenge in Dublin. Passes that had been dropping stuck. Kicks that had been wayward corrected. Tackles that were feeble boomed. It was a much-needed performance more than the result. For France, the writing was on the wall by half-time. In reality, it was obvious long before that. They lacked the will and skill necessary to offer any sort of meaningful threat. Yet Joe Schmidt will not and should not care. Everyone knew their job and executed correctly. A bonus-point victory is to be welcomed. It finished 26-14. Ireland regained a priceless currency; form. They'll look to cash it in a mouth-watering final day contest in Wales. Here are Ireland's player ratings. 15. Jordan Larmour - 7 Advertisement Did well having been parachuted in on short notice for Rob Kearney. Great kick into the French backfield to set up a line-out that led to Ireland's first try. Always looked lively with ball in hand, never asked any question in defence. 14. Keith Earls - 7 Converted a smart and simple line-out move when he stood in at the front, looped around the back of the maul and take a soft CJ Stander pass on the inside to speed in. An eye-watering 51 metres made. 13. Garry Ringrose - 8 Advertisement Ireland have been crying out for a ball-playing alternative at first receiver and Ringrose immediately demonstrated why with a kick downfield from his first possession. Sensational take after the half-hour mark but just lost control before the line. Conceded a penalty for a high tackle. Shot out of the line and missed an obvious tackle in the second half although forced Fickou back in field in the process. What he may have lacked in match fitness he made up for with game intelligence. 12. Bundee Aki - 7 Once again, made little ground with his carrying but it was often as a first-up carrier. Made up for a poor pass with a lovely offload. Combined nicely with his Connacht team-mate Carty in the final quarter. 11. Jacob Stockdale - 7 His final whistle stats of one clean break and no successful tackle may suggest a quiet game but the Ulster man did well when called upon. Silly kick deep with a man out wide but it did not prove costly. Didn't get the same opportunity to cut loose like his back-three partners but his kick-chase is invaluable. 10. Johnny Sexton - 8 Advertisement Welcome back, Johnny. We've been expecting you. Typical wrap around and dart to score his try. Flawless from the tee. Great hands to send Keith Earls through the gap. Came off for Jack Carty midway through the second half. 9. Conor Murray - 8 His timing at ruck-time has been an issue, with the ball often too slow in the opening three games. It's a facet of the game quickly corrected. Timed his pass to perfection for Jack Conan who was moving wide and it resulted in Ireland's third try. 1. Cian Healy - 9 Nice piece of opportunism to try dive in and touch down early on. Followed it up with a big carry shortly after. Won his scrum battle. Replaced by Dave Kilcoyne after 50 minutes, with Cardiff clearly on management's mind. Advertisement 2. Rory Best (captain) - 7 Brilliant strength for the game's opening try after just 3 minutes. Squandered good opportunity with an overthrow shortly after. Interesting to see him used as a first-receiver pivot on a number of occasions, taking the ball but quickly spreading it wide instead of carrying. Something Joe Schmidt can certainly build a strike play around. A fitting farewell on his final Six Nations home game. 3. Tadhg Furlong - 8 Monster presence at the breakdown, blew Lamby out of the water with a ferocious clear-out early on. This was a pack-led performance. 4. Iain Henderson - 7 Advertisement Offers so much in defence, both in terms of his tackling ability and breakdown prowess. Uses his large frame to considerable efficiency to infuriate opposition ball. 5. James Ryan - 9 It looks likely this will be Ireland's starting second-row combination. Ryan brought his usual terrific tackling to the game and finished with 10, with none missed. His footwork when carrying is an under-rated skill. Deservedly awarded Man of the Match. 6. Peter O’Mahony - 7 The line-out majorly misfired against Italy and in response to that Ireland used O'Mahony as their main jumper, to the extent where it is almost predictable. The saving grace is that he is a joy to throw to, both in terms of his handling ability and the height he reaches. 7. Josh van der Flier - N/A Advertisement Desperate luck as injury struck early on again. Replaced by Jack Conan. 8. CJ Stander - 9 With his first carry floored Ntamack to give the young out-half an early welcome to Dublin. Collectively as a group, this was a team-led performance. Ireland will need another big game from Stander next week to counter a physical Welsh pack. Replacements: 8 Jack Conan was magnificent, particularly in terms of his carrying ability. It poses the question, did Ireland stumble onto another potential back-row combination? Jack Carty demonstrated supreme play-making skill, Ultan Dillane carried like a trojan and secured a superb steal. Dave Kilcoyne was devastating at scrum-time, John Cooney was lively throughout. Niall Scannell continued the line-out brilliance. Andrew Conway completed the replacements with five minutes left. All the changes did bring a slight drop in intensity. Ireland dwindled slightly in the final minutes with the game all but over. Good if not great. Back on track. The ship steadied and headed for Wales.<doc-sep>Ireland coach Joe Schmidt has named a strong starting team for Sunday's Guinness Six Nations clash with France in the Aviva Stadium. There are several changes from the team that started against Italy in Rome with Garry Ringrose, Rory Best, Cian Healy, James Ryan and CJ Stander returning. Dan Leavy, Robbie Henshaw and Joey Carbery all miss out through injury. There is just one change to the Ireland team backline with the aforementioned Ringrose returning in placing of Chris Farrell. On the bench, John Ryan, Niall Scannell and Dave Kilcoyne are the front row replacements. Ultan Dillane and Jack Conan fill in on the bench. John Cooney, Jack Carty and Jordan Larmour are also included. Advertisement Under Joe Schmidt, Ireland have never lost a home game against France and they will look to continue that remarkable record this Sunday with kick off set for 3.00pm.<doc-sep>Never mind which France will turn up, which Ireland team will rock up to the Aviva tomorrow is the more pertinent question. The side that swept all before them in 2018, or the one that's failed to spark in this year's championship? There is certainly no need to panic at this stage but just taking the results into account and declaring that one loss and two away wins show there's nothing to see here would be disingenuous. As has been hammered home, it's the manner of the performances that is the cause for concern. While we may all sneer at the French frolics, the mystery about what happened to Ireland between beating New Zealand, with one of the most complete performances in memory, and being hammered by England has deepened after the failings of the Scottish game were replicated against Italy. The "cohesion" they craved never materialised. "I was really happy with a lot of what happened in the Scottish match," said Joe Schmidt on Friday when asked if the performance in Rome had thrown up new issues or if the same questions that were posed post-Scotland were being asked in camp. "We could have been more accurate. It was a little bit the same in Italy." As much as the head coach gives nothing away you'd like to believe that shouting the same instructions a little bit louder at training is not going to solve problems. He did say that it's part of their normal preparation to address the mental side of things but you would wonder if Enda McNulty, employed as a sports psychologist with the national team, has been busier than normal in the last fortnight. The question about which Ireland team is going to turn up was put directly to Garry Ringrose, who missed the last two games with a hamstring injury. "Hopefully not the one that lost against England last time we were in the Aviva," he told RTE Sport. "It's all the one team really. Everyone is excited to get back and try to right that wrong against what's going to be an incredibly tough French side. "An excited, motivated team is turning up, I think." Jordan Larmour must have been asked a dozen times if he had time to take in what happened in 2018. Most of the time the answer would be along the lines of just taking it game by game and not looking back. Similarly Peter O'Mahony said before the England game that in the aftermath of the win over New Zealand, they spent a lot of time thinking ahead to the next game. 2018 was an outlier for Irish rugby, international and European success for the majority of the squad, unused to such sustained glory. Did that take an emotional toll? How was it dealt with? How have they taken to being genuine Webb Ellis contenders? "It's their turn [as the world's best] at the moment so we'll see how they cope with that," was Steve Hansen's prophetic quip in the aftermath of the November game when Ireland beat the number one ranked team. Does the centre think that any of their recent performances can be explained by the pressure of being favorites? "You probably wouldn't address it as intensely or as in-depth as that but everyone knows it's difficult to win back-to-back. It takes a great team to be able to do that." The Ireland of 2018 showed themselves to be a great team but with that comes expectation. And before the last World Cup that expectation, on the back of successive championships, was also there. Injury and suspension deprived Ireland of the chance of making a semi-final then but the 2007 comparison has been getting an airing. For the Irish rugby fan who can remember what happened at that World Cup, just months after Ireland got pipped for the championship on points difference, the stuttering performances against Scotland and Italy may have stirred some repressed memories. So when Shane Horgan, a mainstay of the Eddie O'Sullivan-era side, said after the Italy game that he was worried "because it just had a similar feeling, for me, to the 2007 World Cup, ears pricked up. "Everything seemed to be fine, then a couple of things went wrong and we just couldn’t right it again. I’m not saying those players are in the same situation, but there is a sense of that." It was out there. Other players from that squad have dismissed it, but that doesn't mean that Horgan's observation is wrong, just that the other haven't come to the same conclusion, or haven't wanted to say it out loud. As for Schmidt, who would have been between New Zealand and France in that year, he would only go so far as to say that a 2007 comparison was "irrelevant", not inaccurate. "We don’t get too distracted by people making comparisons with a team 12 years ago," said Schmidt What the fans remember is an almost perfect Six Nations campaign in 2007, the highlight being the oft-replayed win over England in Croke Park. They would have been Grand Slam champions except for the concession of a late try to France. This was the golden generation making a short trip to France to give it a real shot. What happened next unfolded like a car crash in slow motion. Unconvincing against Namibia, and a debated call away from defeat to Georgia: that was, on paper, two wins. In the players' hearts and minds, they were fatal blows which left them listing before France and Argentina put them out of their misery. Schmidt added: "It couldn’t be more irrelevant to us, because for us some of what we try to do is very much in the moment, and it is for [the France game]. It’s not looking back 12 years to see what we need to learn." The big difference, of course, is that Ireland's stutter has come with time to make amends, but the clock is ticking.<doc-sep>Ireland have defeated France 31-29 in Cork to win this year's U20 Six Nations. Scotland's victory over Wales means that Ireland can't be caught at the top of the table. The Irish face the Welsh on Friday next with a Grand Slam on the line. Man-of-the-match Josh Wycherley on getting past the challenge of an impressive French team as Ireland claimed the Six Nations U20 championship #rterugby pic.twitter.com/hJZoIuBiTx — RTÉ Rugby (@RTErugby) March 8, 2019 Earning Ireland's first U-20 Six Nations crown since 2010, Noel McNamara's youngsters made it four wins out of four and took advantage of Wales' surprise 27-20 loss to bottom side Scotland. Man-of-the-match Josh Wycherley crossed for two tries, his replacement Callum Reid also touched down and out-half Ben Healy, who started in place of the injured Harry Byrne, finished with a brilliant 16-point haul. Healy's opposite number Louis Carbonel was in inspirational form for France, scoring two tries and kicking nine points. Converted tries from Jean-Baptiste Gros and Carbonel had them 14-13 ahead at half-time, cancelling out Ireland's early 10-point lead from prop Wycherley's 13th-minute try. The hosts were missing two of their key man from the opening three rounds - injured captain David Hawkshaw and top scorer Byrne - but showed the greater accuracy and intent in the second period, maintaining a high pace which the visitors struggled to cope with. Two Healy penalties sandwiched a Carbonel effort as the home side moved back in front at 19-17. Wycherley and Reid crucially piled over either side of Carbonel's 64th-minute breakaway score, establishing a 31-22 advantage, and although French replacement Kevin Viallard snatched a last-minute try, Ireland were able to win a final turnover from a maul and set up a shot at a Grand Slam against Wales in Colwyn Bay next Friday night (kick-off 7.05pm). A solid first lineout tackle from Ireland's stand-in skipper Charlie Ryan, followed by a John Hodnett carry, led to Healy's well-struck opening fourth-minute penalty from just inside the French 22. The visitors piled forward from a Paul Boudehent break, but their decision to go for the corner from a penalty backfired as Jordan Joseph knocked on on the ground. As the pace quickened, Jake Flannery's lovely delayed pass sent first-time starter Sean French through a gap and up towards France's 22 with Healy in support to keep the move going. The forwards pressed closer in and were rewarded with Wycherley plunging over just to the right of the posts. Healy converted to open up a 10-point gap but les Bleuets wasted little time in responding. Carbonel, one of seven of the French team involved in Top 14 action last week, broke the defensive line, linked with number 8 Joseph who was taken down by French's tap tackle but got the ball away for supporting loosehead Gros to ground the ball to the left of the posts. After Carbonel converted, Jonathan Wren led Ireland's response with a twinkle-toed break up the left touchline. Pressure on the Irish lineout, combined with a missed touchfinder by Healy, gave France a foothold early in the second quarter, and they profited as they caught Ireland out wide with Carbonel sending Alexandre de Nardi dancing along the left touchline and taking the full-back's return pass to run in a well-crafted try which he converted for a 14-10 lead. Florent Vanverberghe went off his feet at a 30th minute ruck, allowing Healy to drill home a 38-metre kick and make it a one-point game. Ireland had a big let-off when de Nardi, racing onto a Carbonel grubber kick past the try-line, knocked on in the act of scoring. The home defence stood firm late on - including the great sight of the diminutive Craig Casey driving back the 18-stone Joseph in a tackle. Cork favourite French stormed forward in the final minute of the first half, but could not connect with a support runner and France turned around with the slimmest of advantages. Referee Adam Leal kept his yellow card in his pocket despite France leaking three penalties close to their try-line on the restart, scrum half Casey going closest as he appeared to be high-tackled by Boudehent. Ireland deservedly regained the lead with Healy's close range penalty, yet an ill-advised offload from Scott Penny in his own 22 gave France the opportunity to force a scrum penalty and Carbonel landed the central three-pointer. Healy hit back just a couple of minutes later for an 19-17 lead, rewarding the attacking efforts of Casey, Dylan Tierney-Martin and newly-introduced debutant Ryan Baird. #U20sSixNations Full time! Ireland U20 31 - 29 France U20 A super game of rugby with super support! We look forward to the final game against Wales next Friday#FutureIsGreen #ShoulderToShoulder #IREvFRA pic.twitter.com/ihTzQ2UFVR — Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) March 8, 2019 The hosts hit the hour mark 26-17 to the good, French captain Arthur Vincent erring with a forward pass in his own 22 and Healy got over the gain-line from the scrum, the pack working their way up to the posts where Wycherley proved unstoppable again from a close-in ruck. Healy's extras put nine points between the sides, only for Carbonel to lift his side with a try straight from a Irish ruck which saw the ball squirt free. Back came McNamara's tireless charges, half-backs Healy and Casey unlocking the defence with some sharp running that brought the table toppers right back up to the French whitewash. The forwards seized the initiative with Banbridge clubman Reid repeating Wycherley's trick in driving over from a ruck. Healy's conversion from the left bounced back off the near post, and Casey unfortunately had to come off with a suspected ankle injury. The minutes were ticking by until resilient France found something once more in attack, splitting open the Irish midfield and a well-timed pass sent the fresh-legged Viallard over to the left of the posts despite Cormac Foley's best attempts to hold him up. Despite Carbonel converting to make it a two-point deficit, last year's champions were thwarted on the edge of their 22 as Ireland ensured they will receive the trophy in Wales next week.<doc-sep>
CJ Stander is expected to be recalled to the Ireland team to face France in Sunday's Guinness Six Nations clash. Joe Schmidt will name his 23-man squad this afternoon and looks likely to call upon the services of the South African number 8, who missed the away wins over Scotland and Italy after suffering a facial injury in the opening-day defeat to England. Josh van der Flier is also expected to be among six changes to the pack, with Sean O'Brien set to miss out altogether. Centre Garry Ringrose has recovered from a hamstring injury and is expected to take his place alongside Bundee Aki. The back three of Rob Kearney, Keith Earls and Jacob Stockdale should be retained, as will the half-back pairing of Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton. Sean Cronin, the starting hooker in Rome two weeks ago, was not retained at the training camp so Rory Best will resume the captaincy, with Cian Healy also returning to the front row alongside Tadhg Furlong. James Ryan is expected to form a second-row partnership with Iain Henderson, while Peter O'Mahony will slot in with Stander and Van der Flier. The Munster trio of Niall Scannell, Dave Kilcoyne and John Ryan are set to provide front-row cover off the bench, while Ultan Dillane looks to have edged ahead of Quinn Roux after a solid showing last time out. After a positive outing against Scotland, Jack Conan missed the Italy game with an abdominal strain and looks likely to keep O'Brien off the panel. Connacht scrum-half Kieran Marmion is due to take over from John Cooney as back-up for Murray, with Jack Carty and Jordan Larmour also set for spots on the replacement bench. We need your consent to load this SoundCloud contentWe use SoundCloud to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences Follow Ireland v France on Sunday (kick-off 3pm) via the live blog on RTÉ.ie/Sport and the News Now App, or listen live on RTÉ 2fm, with commentary from Michael Corcoran and Donal Lenihan