France outplay Ireland in entertaining curtain-raiser to Women’s Six Nations

France 38-17 Ireland: The hosts scored five tries in an impressive display in Le Mans

Marine Menager scored a French try in the win over Ireland (Getty Images)

France earned their first win of the Six Nations campaign with an entertaining 38-17 victory over Ireland at Stade Marie-Marvingt.

Last year’s runners-up struck early in the game and were initially kept at bay by a strong Irish defence, but they were able to pull ahead with three comfortable tries before Ireland fought back to go over twice in the final 10 minutes.

Pauline Bourdon Sansus handed France the lead just three minutes into the game, breaking free from the scrum to cross just next to the post with Lina Queyroi adding the conversion before Nicole Fowley put Ireland’s first points on the board with a penalty.

Although France threatened throughout the half, the Irish defence put in a brilliant display to fend off waves of attacks, but the hosts eventually found their second try in the 32nd minute.

Bourdon Sansus dispatched a great pass from the scrum to Marine Menager and she burst through a gap in the defence to easily touch down before Queyroi added the extras.

The fly-half extended France’s lead with a penalty just before the break and they earned a third try seven minutes into the second half after some fantastic pressure on the Irish try-line saw Madoussou Fall finish the move to go over underneath the posts and Queyroi converted.

France had a try chalked off for a forward pass in the build-up, but they secured the bonus point in the 62nd minute with a brilliant rolling maul, allowing Agathe Sochat to cross and Queyroi added another conversion.

Ireland earned their first try of the afternoon in the 71st minute after Aoife Wafer powered over the line from close range and Dannah O’Brien converted, but France added a fifth try four minutes later as Elisa Riffoneau broke away from the maul to score with Morgane Bourgeois kicking the extras.

The visitors earned a second try in the final minutes when an awkward bounce saw Lina Tuy mishandle the ball on the try-line and Aoife Dalton reacted quickly to ground the ball before O’Brien converted.

PA