Spirit in improved display

the end of the move. Squeezed either side of France’s fifth try, scored by replacement Elisa Riffonneau, were two Ireland tries.

Ireland enjoyed some possession coming into the final 10 minutes and as they pounded the line, it was Wafer who dug her way over. It was Ireland’s first try against France in two years. O’Brien added the extras. And their hard work paid off with a second try three minutes before full-time. A mistake by Lina Tuy on her own tryline saw Dalton pounce quickly and score Ireland’s second try. O’Brien added the conversion.

Ireland need to fix their lineout and produce a more attacking threat but it is a display that can be built on for their first home game of the championship against Italy at the RDS on Sunday week. Perhaps then we can see more from a rising Ireland team.

Scorers – France: P Bourdon Sansus, M Menager, M Fall, A Sochat, E Riffonneau tries; L Queyroi 4 cons, 1 pen; M Bourgeois con. Ireland: A Wafer, A Dalton tries; D O’Brien 2 cons; N Fowley pen.

France: E Boulard; K Arbey, N Konde, G Vernier, M Menager (M Bourgeois 44) L Queyroi (L

Tuy 72), P Bourdon Sansus (A Chambon 61); A Deshayes (A Mwayembe 56) ,(A E Riffonneau

65), A Khalfaoui (C Joyeux 65), M Feleu (capt), M Fall (E Gros 51); C Escudero, G Hermet, R Menager.

Ireland: L Delany; K Corrigan (M Deely 67), E Higgins, A Dalton, B Parsons; N Fowley (D O’Brien 40) A Reilly (M Scuffil-McCabe 64); L Djougang, N Jones, C Haney (S McGrath 64); D Wall (F Tuite 56), H O’Connor; A Wafer, E McMahon (G Moore 51), B Hogan.

Referee: K Roche (USA).

Try scorer Aoife Dalton