Is the pressure of being one of the favourites for this year’s World Cup beginning to tell on Ireland? Or has Joe Schmidt been taking the longer-term view that a punishing Six Nations would hamper his team’s chance of glory in Japan? We’ll probably find out in the attitude of the players in their remaining games against France and Wales.
Ireland Team News and Form
Ireland enjoyed a fabulous 2018, winning the Grand Slam in last year’s Six Nations and earning a memorable and thoroughly merited victory against world champions New Zealand in November. Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that they have failed to scale the same heights so far this year, though they have won in Scotland and Italy since out-muscled by England at the Aviva. Dublin is normally an invincible fortress and the Irish will be keen to show that is still the case when France arrive this weekend for a match that has become a bit of a sideshow in terms of this year’s Six Nations. Hooker Sean Cronin has paid the price for Ireland’s lineout failure in Italy and Robbie Henshaw and Dan Leavy are still injured but CJ Stander, Garry Ringrose and Kieran Marmion are all available again. Johnny Sexton should return refreshed and Rory Best will again captain the side which is likely to show a number of changes from the one that trailed the Azzurri at half-time in the Stadio Olimpico.
France Team News and Form
France are notoriously unpredictable but, in a rare appearance of stability, Jacques Brunel has chosen an unchanged side to the one that showed some improvement against Scotland, though that decision was made easy by an injury to scrum-half Morgan Parra. Thomas Ramos is starting to look a top-class international full-back and young half-backs Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack look as though they are developing a promising partnership. They may try and turn the Irish pack as their hosts are unlikely to wilt under a forward assault but there is always a question mark regards stamina with the French, which could be their Achilles’ heel again. France had lost three in a row before beating an injury-hit Scotland and remain vulnerable on the road and that famous Gallic flair is often negated when they come up against strong units. Disharmony is still rife and they remain a long way from the finished article.
Ireland v France Best Match Odds
Ireland 2/11, Draw 40/1, France 6/1 (Odds correct at 10.00am March 8)
Ireland v France Head-to-Heads
Only a late Johnny Sexton drop-goal denied France victory in Paris last year but, since 2012, Les Bleus have only beaten the Irish once in six attempts. However, wide margins of victory are rare and there were draws in both 2012 and 2013 so Irish hopes of a bonus point could be disappointed.
Ireland v France Predictions
An Ireland victory is the most likely outcome but not worth backing. Let’s concentrate instead on the Winning Margin market which sees Betway offering 11/4 that Ireland win by 1-10 points. France have covered +14 on the handicap in seven of their last eight games against Ireland and that is Evens with Betway, among others.
