Ireland finds life beyond Sexton against France

Ramos tries to stop Crowley during the duel between France and Ireland.Guillaume Horcajuelo (EFE)

Ireland achieved something more than a victory this Friday in Marseille: time.

The transition after the retirement of Jonathan Sexton, their fly half and captain, invited a Six Nations on the downside, but the Clover XV assumes the baton of the tournament whose title they defend by winning at the home of the favorite to overthrow them (17-38).

The green giant dressed in his gala suit, as if that setback in the World Cup quarterfinals against the All Blacks had not existed.

Jack Crowley, the heir to the Irish 10, uncorked the tournament, a kick for a new era.

Peter O'Mahony, now captain, began fishing balls in the conquest zone, an electric forward with releases in less than two seconds that stress anyone.

The icing on the cake is provided by the finishers, about three quarters like Bundee Aki – he played with a shirt without a number – with the acceleration of a feline and the muscle of a closet.

Thus he broke two rivals and gave Gibson-Park the first try.

The rival field seemed like another continent for a subjugated France that avoided disaster because the XV of Clover had no fangs.

A hasty kick from Crowley that went over the baseline or a charge from Van der Flier, who looked for the try at all costs and could not release the ball.

But the green monologue overwhelmed and took the defense to the edge of the couch.

In the end, it seemed like a pore in a rear that boasts granite and the giant Tadhg Beirne built a highway for himself in the test.

France dug its grave a few more meters when Paul Willemse resumed his aggressiveness and saw his second yellow card – later raised to a straight red – for another reckless tackle in the neck area.

But the numerical inferiority spurred the locals, now without a net.

His risk caused the first Irish indiscipline and resulted in a dive by Penaud in the goal area with time running out.

Despite the drama, Gallo's XV arrived alive at halftime (10-17).

Ramos had a simple kick to stalk the Irish neck, but he didn't find the wood.

Ireland understood the precariousness of their advantage and charged unreservedly into the rival field.

When the ball reached Robbie Hensahw, he had the courage to face the French line with an acceleration that put him one step away from the try and the agility to free the oval in a flash.

This maintains numerical superiority.

In a flash, Calvin Nash added up the points by posing next to the lime.

Despite the absence of Antoine Dupont, their great leader – he is with the Olympic rugby sevens team – France wielded their soul and dealt the next blow, with the charges of a forward that grew larger, tested with its platform and caused a yellow for O'Mahony for knocking her down.

Ten minutes of numerical equality that were not worth the comeback.

Ireland maintained the exchange with the same currency: a platform attack for Dan Sheehan's pose that was worth the bonus point of the four trials and was no longer replicated.

The passing of the minutes and the reality of the disadvantage exhausted the strength of the French forward, who conceded a final try similar to the previous one.

Once again the Irish

, that fearsome group, conquered the marking area so that Ronan Kelleher could pose.

The Irish substitutes did not lower their level – the wardrobe was a pillar of their domination – and put the icing on the cake to a victory with historic overtones for a team that until a little over a decade ago had France as a minefield.

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