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Staying ahead Ireland survives strong French challenge 22-15
Updated: Monday February 19, 2001 6:35 AM
DUBLIN, Ireland (AP) -- Ireland survived a strong French fightback to beat France at home for the first time in 18 years in the Six Nations rugby union championship Saturday with a 22-15 victory at Lansdowne Road. A controversial lone try by Brian O'Driscoll compared with two by France gave the Irish a victory which puts Warren Gatland's team on terms with championship favorite England. Although Fabien Pelous and Phillipe Bernat-Salles crossed the Irish line and the French hit back from 22-3 behind, Ronan O'Gara's five penalties and a conversion were vital to an Irish win and Gatland's team now has two wins from two victories. The French have won one and lost one. O'Gara kicked the Irish ahead with a 21-meter penalty after an infringement by French captain Pelous. After Irish hooker Keith Wood had fluffed a drop goal attempt, Christophe Lamaison leveled with a penalty from a similar distance in the 20th minute. O'Gara restored the lead when he kicked another penalty and then sent O'Driscoll sprinting through the center only for the French defense to regroup and halt him 25 meters from the line. But, with the Irish on top, the fly half landed a third penalty and the Irish went into half time 9-3 ahead.
His fourth early in the second half opened up a nine-point advantage and the Irish try came in the 50th minute but took an eternity to be awarded. Rob Henderson broke through the French defense 35 meters out and the ball was fed to fellow center O'Driscoll out on the left. There was plenty of work for center to do but he raced clear and fended off a tackle from fullback Xavier Garbajosa to go over in the corner. But there was doubt whether O'Driscoll had grounded the ball rather than bounced it and the crowd had to wait three minutes before the officials awarded the try after several looks at the video replay. It looked a tough decision on the French especially as O'Gara converted it and then landed a penalty as the Irish moved 19 points clear. The French rallied and were awarded a penalty close to the Irish posts. They decided to form a 15-man push instead of kicking for goal and pushed the Irish back over the line. Pelous was the man credited with grounding the ball again after a look at a video replay. Lamaison's conversion reduced the lead to 22-10 with 17 minutes to go and then had a part to play in the French try that cut the lead to seven points. With the French maintaining the pressure, scrum half Philippe Carboneau switched direction out right and the ball was fed swiftly through Lamaison and Frank Comba to the overlapping winger Bernat-Salles who went over in the corner. Lamaison missed the conversion. Lineups: Ireland -- Girvan Dempsey; Denis Hickie, Brian O'Driscoll, Rob Henderson, Tyrone Howe; Ronan O'Gara, Peter Stringer; Peter Clohessy, Keith Wood (captain), John Hayes, Mick Galwey, Malcolm O'Kelly, Alan Quinlan, David Wallace, Anthony Foley. France -- Xavier Garbajosa; David Bory, Franck Comba, Richard Dourthe, Philippe Bernat-Salles; Christophe Lamaison, Philippe Carbonneau; Sylvain Marconnet, Raphael Ibanez, Pieter de Villiers, David Auradou; Fabien Pelous (captain), Christophe Moni, Olivier Magne, Christophe Juillet.
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