大象传媒

Relieved hosts leave Irish in a stew (75)

• Bryn Palmer
• 22 Sep 07, 01:38 AM

Paris - From the 鈥�scenario catastrophe鈥� of their , the cathartic effects of a comfortable and critical victory enveloped France on Friday night.

Given the enormity of what was at stake, the relief of a nation - and perhaps many neutrals who feared for this World Cup鈥檚 health without its hosts - was palpable.

Bernard Lapasset, the president of the French Rugby Federation, had described the 'double or quits' clash with Ireland as 鈥渢he most important in France鈥檚 professional rugby history鈥�.

Defeat, as France captain Raphael Ibanez put it, was 鈥渦nthinkable鈥�, the consequences 鈥� for the team, its supporters, sponsors, federation officials, club rugby, the country鈥檚 self-esteem, economy even 鈥� too unpleasant to contemplate.

In five previous World Cups, the hosts have twice won the tournament (New Zealand in 1987, South Africa in 1995) and twice reached the final (England in 1991, Australia in 2003). Only Wales, in 1991, failed to progress beyond the quarter-finals.

The front page of , France鈥檚 national daily sports paper, had declared that the 鈥�L鈥橦eure de Verite鈥� (The Moment of Truth) was at hand.

鈥�, with an obligatory picture of Sebastien Chabal staring out from its front page, had only one word of advice for the Tricolores: Vaincre! (Conquer!)

And for whom World Cup salvation seems a long way off.

They subsided by the same 22-point margin by which France beat them (43-21) at the quarter-final stage four years ago.

And despite the three Triple Crowns in the interim, this comprehensive defeat makes it difficult to argue they have made any great strides on the world stage since, and that their most talented team in living memory will forever remain at least one step removed from greatness.

All is not lost just yet, but scoring one try, let alone four, against Argentina, who have yet to concede one in the tournament, looks a tall order on the evidence of Ireland's opening three matches.

Their supporters did them proud as always, converging on the Stade de France in their thousands and out-cheering and out-singing the locals as the teams were announced and the anthems played.

But once the initial Irish aerial bombardment yielded few gains and the booming boot of Damien Traille kept them at arm鈥檚 length, France were clinical in punishing Irish errors and indiscipline.

The hosts concentrated on getting their set-pieces working well, taking few risks 鈥� one ill-advised Frederic Michalak sortie from his own 22 aside 鈥� and building a lead.

When Ronan O鈥橤ara finally got Ireland on the scoreboad three minutes before half-time, it appeared we might have a game on our hands.

But Jean-Baptiste Elissalde鈥檚 fourth penalty before the interval soothed any hint of nerves to make it 12-3, and once France had survived a brief flurry of Irish pressure 鈥� and brief rendition of 鈥溾�� - on the resumption, the end was swift.

Another Irish indiscretion allowed Elissalde to stretch the advantage before Michalak opened his box of tricks, a delightful chip with the outside of his right boot bouncing kindly for Vincent Clerc to put the outcome beyond doubt.

Bernard Laporte鈥檚 face on the stadium鈥檚 big screen was a picture, letting out a lengthy 鈥�Oooouuuuiiiiiiii鈥� as he punched both fists in delight.

He was at it again 10 minutes later as Clerc鈥檚 second try emphasised French superiority, but by that stage any sense of a lingering contest had already elapsed.

The Stade de France relaxed, indulged in a chorus of 鈥溾�� and chants of 鈥淎llez les Bleus鈥� in between huge sighs of relief.

At the final whistle, the French players all gathered in a celebratory huddle, while the crowd sang along contentedly to a popular ditty 鈥淥n Ira Tous au Paradis鈥� (We鈥檙e all going to Paradise) as it bellowed out from the public address system.

鈥楶aradise鈥� may yet be a quarter-final against New Zealand in Cardiff, and the prospect of going out of their own World Cup in another country.

The potential price, you might say, for the political and financial machinations that ensured the tournament came to France in the first place.

But when the alternative was shame and national ridicule on the home front, our hosts will settle for that.

Bryn Palmer is the 大象传媒 Sport website鈥檚 rugby union editor.

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