Supreme Ireland make World Cup statement by taking control of Six Nations

The professional athlete’s maxim is to not look beyond the next item on the agenda, taking each game as it comes. But in the immediacy of a thrilling triumph over France, Johnny Sexton strayed from familiar refrain – the Ireland captain already scanning the road ahead.

“If everything goes to plan, and we get through our group there is a chance we will play France again in the World Cup,” the Ireland captain said. “So it was good to get that off our back, in terms of beating them, as they were the only team we hadn’t beaten.”

The premature World Cup draw means there is a half-decent chance that these two meet in a Stade de France quarter-final in October, which feels both a shame and a great pleasure after Saturday’s collision. After the loftiest of rugby billings, this was, improbably, a contest that more than delivered, particularly in the first half as the two traded haymakers and virtually swung themselves off their feet.

“It was a top-end Test match, wasn’t it?” Sexton effused. “That’s what everyone wanted, and that’s what everyone got. That first half, wow, it was just end-to-end stuff.”

If Ireland’s art was intricate and precise, France painted on instinct in 40 minutes of glorious fun and fury. Hugo Keenan’s score was constructed wonderfully, making use of an old Joe Schmidt stencil more than three years after the New Zealander’s departure. By contrast, Damian Penaud’s coast-to-coast answer was almost scored in the abstract.

But that France were feeding – albeit so impressively at times – off scraps spoke to Ireland’s supremacy. For many reasons, this result was significant, both in terms of the victory and the manner in which it was achieved. If there was a nagging doubt about Farrell’s Ireland it was how they would combat an opposition’s power game: the threat of South Africa’s forwards shown in the autumn despite a home Irish win; Leinster’s defeat to La Rochelle’s heavy mob also a reminder of how size and strength can disrupt the pretty patterns.

Ireland more than matched their opposition in Dublin, controlling and squeezing to maintain control. As France threatened to enliven after the interval, the hosts reasserted themselves – Jack Conan and Tom O’Toole punchy off the bench, Caelan Doris totemic throughout.

open image in gallery

A scan through the Irish faces absent come those final moments only further highlights just how significant a win could be. With Sexton and Conor Murray gone, the way in which Craig Casey and Ross Byrne played their own games to tighten the final screws shows Ireland have now developed the sort of depth that will be required come their French adventures in the autumn.

Sexton explained: “There are a lot of lads that have been together for many years, then there are new guys coming in that add to the environment just as much and it’s a great group to be a part of.

“It keeps the older lads going, keeps us hungry and loving it so it’s a pleasure to be involved with.”

The positive French view is that Fabien Galthie’s side might be all the stronger come the World Cup for the defeat, and there may be sense in that perspective. France were, of course, missing plenty of key faces their own, and were not far short. Given the age profile, it is still a side conceivably short of their prime, and responding to a defeat could prove a vital test with New Zealand an unenviable home tournament opener in September.

open image in gallery

If Ireland go on to complete a Grand Slam, as they must surely now be favoured to do so, both teams really will have checked every box on their way to World Cup candidacy, bounding around the bend strides ahead of the rest. While the prospect of peaking too soon hovers threateningly in the background for both teams given spotty tournament histories, there were few signs of an impending stumble here.

Ireland’s likeliest deniers suddenly appear to be Scotland, growing by the game after going back-to-back to kick off a campaign for the first time in nearly three decades. Finn Russell’s conjuring will understandably draw the attention, but Scotland’s defence has won them both games so far, allowing their backs the opportunities to get on the gallop.

The worry for Wales will be the familiar failings recurrent in each of their two games so far. It is very, very hard to be as inefficient as Warren Gatland’s side have been in successive contests. An optimist would suggest that the continued creation of chances is a positive, but that was said after the Ireland game, too: 0.5 points per entry into the Scottish 22 tell the story of at times comical profligacy.

A performance that England rather needed, solid rather than spectacular on their way to five tries and a bonus point win to get the Steve Borthwick era up and running. The England head coach was pleased by the strength of his side’s basics, the maul working particularly effectively.

Borthwick’s big selection calls backed him up, too. Jack Willis was inspirational in a fractured first half that probably suited the home side, denying Italy of flow. More clever was England’s optimisation of Ollie Lawrence. During the centre’s first stint in the team, Lawrence too often looked an unnatural fit, almost operating outside of England’s structure – from the very first attacking opportunity against Italy, he was on the hard charge on sharp, smart angles, and seemed to respond well to the clarity of role. England still have a long way to go, but they have rather more direction than Wales as they prepare for a middle week trip to Cardiff.