Sep 22, 2007, 17:07 GMT
Paris - Hosts France virtually assured themselves of reaching the quarterfinals of the Rugby World Cup with a hard-fought 25-3 victory over Ireland in a Pool D match played Friday at the Stade de France outside Paris.
Wing Vincent Clerc scored two second-half tries and scrum half Jean-Baptiste Elissalde kicked five penalty goals to give Les Bleues all the points in an entertaining match watched by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern.
The French were quicker, stronger and more disciplined than the Irish throughout the match, and they were not prone to the handling mistakes that had too often cost them in past matches.
The hosts began nervously, but the Irish could not capitalize in the early going, with their usually reliable kicker, Ronan O'Gara, missing a penalty from 22 metres.
O'Gara made up for that with a splendid 40-metre drop kick in the 37th minute, but by then Elissalde had kicked three penalties to give the French a 9-0 lead. Elissalde added another penalty just before halftime and France left the field with a precarious 12-3 lead.
Their advantage might have been greater, but full back Clement Poitrenaud was judged to have been in touch when he crossed the try line in the 17th minute.
After another Elissalde penalty goal in the 55th minute, the French were rewarded for their superiority four minutes later when Clerc picked up fly half Frederic Michalak's brilliant kick and touched down for the try.
That tandem hooked up for another attractive try in the 69th minute when Clerc caught a well-placed Michalak kick and bulled over the line.
That score was made with the French holding a man advantage, after Ireland's hulking lock Paul O'Connell had been sent to the sin bin for repeated violations.
While France coach Bernard Laporte lamented that his team could not score the four tries necessary for a bonus point, he noted: 'On the whole we put in a good performance. I have to congratulate the players because it was not easy bouncing back from the defeat to Argentina.'
France lost the opening match of the World Cup to Argentina 17-12. Although they went on to crush Namibia 87-10 on September 16, the loss made it imperative for France to win Friday to reach the quarterfinals.
Ireland coach Eddie O'Driscoll said, 'We lost too much possession through poor discipline.'
Nevertheless, he said his team had played better against France than it had in its wins against Namibia and Georgia.
'Now (we) need to show what we are capable of against Argentina,' he said.
France now lead Pool D with 10 points from three matches, one point ahead of Argentina, who play their third match Saturday against Namibia. The Irish are third with nine points from three games and trail Argentina in points difference.
If, as expected, Argentina defeat Namibia, Ireland must beat the Pumas on September 30 to advance beyond the group stage, while the French face a much easier task on the same day against Georgia.
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