The Six Nations kicked off on a rainy night in Paris. Ireland was hoping to move past the autumn disappointment that ended in a comprehensive defeat to South Africa. It also marked the Six Nation return for Ireland’s head coach, Andy Farrell, after he was away from the national set up last year to be the Lions Head Coach. For the first time since 1948, the Six Nations would kick off on a Thursday. Coincidentally, 1948 was also the year of Ireland’s first Grand Slam. Unfortunately, this uplifting fact did not manifest itself in the match itself. Renowned as the best player in the word, Frances Antoine Dupont makes a return after almost a year out from the French team. Riddled with injuries, Ireland named the strongest available fifteen, including former Trinity students Joe McCarthy, Thomas Clarkson and Dan Sheehan.
Ireland started the game well, pushing inside France’s twenty-two-meter line within the first six minutes. However, the men in blue struck first blood in the thirteenth minute, with France’s winger Bielle-Biarrey. With Ramos putting the conversion kick between the post, after fifteen minutes the score was 7-0 to the home side. Ireland’s woes continued right after the restart, with France turning the ball over within the minute. These physical struggles were a staple throughout the full 80 minutes, with Ireland only retaining two from thirteen aerial kicks. Misplaced kicks and poor chasing meant Ireland lost the battle in the air at the Stade de France.
This physical dominance from the French continued into the second quarter, with Jalibert grounding the try for the blues in the twenty second minute. With the conversion drifting wide, the score remained at 12-0. However, Ramos quickly righted his miss by converting a penalty for France in the twenty-eighth minute, a penalty given away by Trinity alumni Joe McCarthy. The rain continued to pour for Ireland, with France wrapping up the first half with another try, scored by their second row Ollivon. At the half time whistle, Ireland run into the tunnel for shelter from both the rain and the French, with the score being 22-0.
It was Ireland’s biggest half-time deficit since 2006, a year most Trinity students can barely remember. To say Ireland faced an uphill battle is an understatement. And within two minutes of the second half, France drop kicked Ireland back down the rest of said hill with another try. This was the second try of the match for Bielle-Biarrey, with Ramos again converting it smoothly. In the fiftieth minute both teams made substitutions, Ireland sought damage control, while France began resting players for the next round. The French fans also seemed to believe the match was wrapped up. However, with the French fans conducting a Mexican wave in the background, Ireland finally succeeded in putting a score on the board. Ireland substitute Timoney grounding the try in the fifty-ninth minute. Three minutes later, Ireland doubled their total with another try from Ireland substitute Milne. With Prendergast converting both tries, Ireland managed to preserve some of their dignity with the score now being 29-14. Unfortunately, that seemed to be the end of Ireland’s scoring run, with France rubbing salt in the wound by scoring the final try of the match in the final play of the game. With the final score being 36-14 to France, Ireland return to Dublin licking their wounds.
Fast forward nine days, and the men in green are back on home soil. Their opponents are the Italians, who are just off the back of a monumental win against Scotland the week prior. Despite having beaten Ireland in Dublin in the Six Nations, Italy arrived confident of taking points from the Aviva. After the catastrophe that was the French match, Andy Farrell made numerous changes to the starting fifteen and match day squad. Rob Baloucoune and Cormac Izuchukwu were to make their Six Nations debut, with Craig Casey also being promoted to the starting team. A piece of history was also occurring in Dublin, with Hollie Davidson becoming the first female to referee a men’s Six Nations match. The weather around the Aviva was cold and miraculously dry, putting fans in green in slightly better moods before the kick off.
The game begun and Ireland immediately improved on their kicking retention, gaining two in the first few minutes. Despite this, Ireland failed to make a mark on the game in the opening minutes with a couple mistakes cropping up. Luck appeared to be on the men in green sides, as in the eleventh minute Italy’s Lynagh receiving a yellow card and sin bin for a deliberate knock on. This extra player for ten minutes proves fruitful for Ireland, with Jamie Osbourne in the eighteenth minute grounding the try. However, the score remains at 5-0, with Prendergast failing to convert the conversion.
Despite the lead, Ireland’s mistakes continue, with Izuchukwu giving away a penalty that Paolo Garbisi puts between the posts. Ireland then decided to say ‘anything you can do I can also do’ to Italy, with Casey getting sin binned in the thirty-first minute for a dangerous tackle. Italy wasted no time taking advantage of this, scoring a try two minutes later. Conversion scored, and Italy take the lead in Dublin with the score at 5-10. The final ten minutes to the half time whistle seemed like an eternity to both Ireland fans and players alike. With tempers firing and Italy crushing Ireland in the scrum time and time again, Ireland was lucky to go into the break only five points down.
Once again, Ireland trailed at half-time, leading only in missed tackles with an alarming nineteen. Despite this, Farrell only makes one change to the Ireland team, with Tadgh Furlong replacing Trinity past student Thomas Clarkson in the front row. Another change Ireland make is in their attitude, with the men in green coming out fighting. This results in a try for Ireland just four minutes after the restart, scored by Jack Conan. Once again, Prendergast missed the conversion kick, adding fire to the infamous debate over who should wear the number ten jersey for Ireland. However, Ireland penchant for missing tackles continued, with Italy scoring a try as a result. Once again luck was on Ireland’s side, with it being turned over due to a forward pass.
Substitutions are made on both side but remain at a stalemate until the fifty-eighth minute when Ireland’s Baloucoune gets over the try line to push Ireland ahead. Jack Crowley, who replaced Prendergast, rubs salt in the wound for both Italy and Ireland’s number 10 by scoring the conversion kick. Crowley kicks on in both senses by scoring a penalty for Ireland in the sixty-second minute, making the score 20-10 to Ireland. Italy adds three points to this four minutes later with a penalty kick of their own. The final ten minutes were tense, with Italy camped out inside Ireland’s 22. A late turnover gave Ireland one final chance, but Crowley’s kick for the corner drifted dead. A fitting summary of their opening two rounds. Ireland ran out 20-13 winners, but Crowley’s final mistake will define a shaky opening to the 2026 Six Nations.
