Ireland fly-half O’Brien is going to the boot a fair amount already, sensible and pragmatic in these conditions. Ireland have adapted better to the miserable weather than France.
This has been a very sloppy start from France and, so far, they are not adjusting particularly well to the conditions. Ireland deserve the lead and have to take advantage of this period of dominance.
The first carry from the quick tap takes Ireland inches shy of the line and then there is no stopping Djougang from powering her way over. This effort will not be ruled out. O’Brien’s conversion slips by the left upright but Ireland lead by five.
What a start this has turned into by Ireland. An unfortunate, marginal knock-on scuppered them initially but nothing wrong with the next one!
France think they have disrupted the maul legally but the referee does not agree, deeming the intervention to be illegal at the ruck.
