Subscribe to the Sport Feed Sportback to Sport

Sunday, 14 February 2010

O'Driscoll dejected after Paris defeat

Brian O'Driscoll of Ireland looks dejected as he leaves the pitch with team mates after the RBS Six Nations match between France and Ireland at the Stade France

Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll walked off the pitch dejected after his side's crushing defeat by France, as Ireland's ambition of defending the Grand Slam met a brutal end amid sub-zero temperatures in Paris.

We’re sorry. This video is unavailable from your location.

France 33 - 10 Ireland

O'Driscoll's side failed the first significant examination of their title defence to end their 12-match unbeaten run dating back to November 2008.

The skipper believes the team will learn from the defeat in time for their trip to Twickenham in a fortnight's time.

"We certainly don't think we've come to the end of a cycle," said O'Driscoll. "Obviously there is huge disappointment.

"We haven't felt that for over a year but results like that are quite grounding at times. Not that we ever thought we were infallible but you get a reality check from those sorts of games.

"You realise you haven't got everything bang on and we've got to use that to our advantage by putting the small things right.

"It's only a shame we don't have a game next week to put it right but hopefully we'll be back on it when we go to Twickenham."

Gordon D'Arcy was denied a try by the bounce of the ball after he charged into space and chipped ahead with winger Vincent Clerc, so often Ireland's try-scoring nemesis, coming to the rescue.

France surged 17-3 ahead by half-time with tries from William Servat and Yannick Jauzion.

Ten of those points arrived while prop Cian Healy was in the sin-bin, guilty of an early tackle on Francois Trinh-Duc, with the kicking of Morgan Parra also keeping the scoreboard active.

A try from Clement Poitrenaud and Parra's kicking added to the post-interval carnage to underline the gulf in class and the French title credentials.

Ireland replied with a try by David Wallace in the 65th minute, set up initially by Stephen Ferris with O'Driscoll producing the decisive pass and Ronan O'Gara converting.

But there was no fight back as French substitute Frederic Michalak fired a drop goal to land the final blow.

Shell-shocked

Ireland players trudged off shell-shocked at the final whistle having failed in their bid to improve their record of just one win in Paris in 28 years.

O'Driscoll admits the French remain firm favourites to succeed Ireland as champions.

"On a performance like that, it would take a very good team to beat them," he said.

"One thing about the Six Nations is that you have to do that on five occasions. They still have three more to produce but it was certainly pretty effective stuff today.

"They played a physical game and gave their backs some good go-forward ball. It was a complete French performance.

"We spoke about not letting them get off to a good start and we might have created some momentum if Gordon (D'Arcy's) chip and chase had come off and we had gone 7-0 up but it was an impressive all-round display from them."

Ireland coach Declan Kidney was gracious in defeat, saying: "Any time you get beaten by three tries to one - and they probably had one or two other chances as well - you can't complain.

"I'd like to compliment them on that. It's an extremely difficult venue to come to. Even though our boys stayed at it, we never managed to come back into the game and France picked off the penalties.

"At 17-3 down, we tried to attack from deep but France covered the back field quite well. They kept the pressure on us and kept the scoreboard ticking along," he said.

"A lot of little things cost us. It's a game of inches but we're not making excuses. It just didn't happen for us today."

Kidney will check on injuries to prop John Hayes (head), lock Leo Cullen (ankle) and Rob Kearney, who is the most serious casualty, as he prepares for the England game.