The Ireland Under-20s (sponsored by PwC) suffered a disappointing 42-21 defeat at the hands of France, who dominated at key stages of this U-20 Six Nations Summer Series opener in Verona.
UNDER-20 SIX NATIONS SUMMER SERIES POOL A: Friday, June 24
FRANCE UNDER-20s 42 IRELAND UNDER-20s 21, Payanini Rugby Centre
Scorers: France U-20s: Tries: Léo Labarthe, Emilien Gailleton, Nicolas Depoortere, Victor Montgaillard 2; Cons: Max Auriac 4; Pens: Max Auriac 3
Ireland U-20s: Tries: Aitzol King, Penalty try, Fionn Gibbons; Cons: Tony Butler, Pen try con, Sam Prendergast
HT: France Under-20s 17 Ireland Under-20s 7
It looked a tough proposition from the outset for Richie Murphy’s young Ireland squad, whose preparations for the tournament were impacted by Covid-19 and a lengthy injury list.
They were without nine starters from the team that clinched the Grand Slam in March, and starting winger Shay McCarthy was joined on the night by eight other U-20 debutants off the bench.
Aitzol King’s try before half-time kept Ireland in contention at 17-7 down, France making much the faster start with Léo Labarthe and excellent captain Emilien Gailleton both crossing in quick succession.
Gailleton, who had two other tries ruled out, and his centre partner Nicolas Depoortere starred in midfield for les Bleuets, whose full-back Max Auriac finished with 17 points in an almost faultless kicking display.
The French side were that bit sharper in attack, their scrum also got on top and despite having a player sin-binned in both halves, they continued to control the scoreboard and frustrate Ireland.
An outstanding individual try from Depoortere was followed by a late brace from replacement Victor Montgaillard, but Ireland can take a good deal out of an improved second half performance.
Their persistent maul forced a penalty try and Fionn Gibbons added well-taken converted score late on. George Coomber and Michael Moloney were two players who brought impact off the bench, while Clontarf winger King showed his ability to break the line.
Captain Reuben Crothers and his team-mates will look to bounce back next Wednesday against South Africa, who made an early statement in Pool A by beating England 30-22, scoring five tries.
An early turnover poached by Butler offered encouragement in temperatures still in the high-20s, but French pressure in the Irish 22 saw full-back Auriac open the scoring from the tee in the ninth minute.
Ireland were unable to profit from a promising Lorcan McLoughlin break, the number 8’s offload going loose and Gailleton responded with a terrific 50:22 kick.
Following a penalty miss from Auriac, France showed their sharpness in attack with a crisply-finished try. Lock Labarthe, set free by Léo Barre’s inside pass, showed impressive pace to score from the edge of the Irish 22.
Auriac made it a seven-pointer and Ireland fell 17-0 just after the water break, a brilliant surge from deep seeing Baptiste Jauneau release Gailleton who finished off the try after a return pass from his centre partner Depoortere.
Murphy’s charges began to build some phases after France lost M’Foudi to the bin for a tip tackle on Daniel Hawkshaw. Full-back Dylan O’Grady threatened with a run out to the left.
Ireland’s decision-making let them down from a strong maul set-up in the 22, while the increasingly-influential Gailleton missed out on a second try due to a forward pass in the build-up.
George Coomber quickly made an impact off the bench with a big man-and-ball tackle, and James McNabney’s efforts at the breakdown won a penalty which launched Ireland back into French territory.
Working the ball infield off a maul, the Irish pack forced a couple of penalties and got within reach of the line. Ethan Coughlan’s inviting pass then put winger King in under the posts for Butler to convert.
Ireland were getting more of a grip on proceedings, a turnover penalty won by Crothers keeping France at bay but les Bleuets did end the first half ominously on the cusp of their third try.
France began the second period on the front foot – apart from a slaloming break by Butler – and Gailleton was denied another score following a knock-on.
Auriac made it 20-7 with a penalty from just outside Ireland’s 22, and centre Depoortere rammed hom the French dominance with a superb solo try from his own half, converted by Auriac.
The Ireland coaches began to unload the bench, handing U-20 debuts to George Hadden, Kieran Ryan and Sam Prendergast, and France kept the scoreboard ticking over with a central penalty from Auriac.
France had another try ruled out on the hour mark, Ireland’s response seeing King break from deep and replacement George Coomber take them up into the French 22.
A subsequent penalty for Ireland set up a lineout opportunity, the pressure leading to further French infringements and Jules Coulon’s collapsing of the maul resulted in a penalty try and a yellow card.
Frustratingly, Ireland coughed up an offside penalty from the restart and France continued to look the more dangerous side, pocketing their bonus point with 10 minutes to go through Montgaillard off a maul.
Prendergast’s looping pass sent King hurtling back into the French 22 and a few phases later, Gibbons managed to twist in a tackle and touch down just to the right of the posts. Prendergast converted to close the gap back to 16 points.
Michael Moloney provided the assist for the try and the young UCD scrum half was a bright spark during the closing stages, as was King who embarked on another barnstorming run from deep, combining deftly with Coomber in support.
Ireland’s late push for a try-scoring bonus point was foiled, though, as Josh Hanlon’s pass went loose after he broke from a maul. France countered in tremendous fashion, leading to Montgaillard crashing over from close range.
TIME LINE: 9 minutes – France penalty: Max Auriac – 3-0; 15 mins – France penalty: missed by Max Auriac – 3-0; 16 mins – France try: Léo Labarthe – 8-0; conversion: Max Auriac – 10-0; 18 mins – France try: Emilien Gailleton – 15-0; conversion: Max Auriac – 17-0; 21 mins – France yellow card: Samuel M’Foudi; 32 mins – Ireland try: Aitzol King – 17-5; conversion: Tony Butler – 17-7; Half-time – France 17 Ireland 7; 45 mins – France try: Max Auriac – 20-7; 47 mins – France try: Nicolas Depoortere – 25-7; conversion: Max Auriac – 27-7; 56 mins – France penalty: Max Auriac – 30-7; 64 mins – Ireland try: Penalty try & conversion – 30-14; 64 mins – France yellow card: Jules Coulon; 70 mins – France try: Victor Montgaillard – 35-14; conversion: Max Auriac – 37-14; 72 mins – Ireland try: Fionn Gibbons – 37-19; conversion: Sam Prendergast – 37-21; 78 mins – France try: Victor Montgaillard – 42-21; conversion: missed by Matéo Garcia – 42-21; Full-time – France 42 Ireland 21
FRANCE U-20: Max Auriac (Toulouse); Ethan Randle (Perpignan), Emilien Gailleton (Agen) (capt), Nicolas Depoortere (Bordeaux-Bègles), Louis Bielle-Biarrey (Bordeaux-Bègles); Léo Barre (Stade Francais), Baptiste Jauneau (Clermont Auvergne); Thomas Moukoro (Racing 92), Connor Sa (Bordeaux-Bègles), Eliott Yemsi (Toulon), Samuel M’Foudi (Perpignan), Léo Labarthe (Toulouse), Noé Della Schiava (La Rochelle), Maxime Baudonne (Racing 92), Killian Tixeront (Clermont Auvergne).
Replacements used: Gatien Masse (Bordeaux-Bègles) for Randle (32 mins), Jules Coulon (Toulon) for Tixeront (half-time), Raphael Portat (Toulouse) for Labarthe (41), Pierre-Emmanuel Pacheco (Colomiers) for Moukoro (46), Robin Bellemand (Colomiers) for Yemsi (48), Victor Montgaillard (Perpignan) for Sa (56), Simon Tarel (Provence) for Jauneau, Léo Banos (Stade Montois) for Della Schiava, Matéo Garcia (Bordeaux-Bègles) for Barre (all 59), Malohi Suta (Provence) for M’Foudi (66), Émile Dayral (Agen) for Auriac (74).
IRELAND U-20: Dylan O’Grady (UCD RFC/Leinster); Aitzol King (Clontarf FC/Leinster), Fionn Gibbons (UCD RFC/Leinster), Daniel Hawkshaw (Clontarf FC/Leinster), Shay McCarthy (Young Munster RFC/Munster); Tony Butler (Garryowen FC/Munster), Ethan Coughlan (Shannon RFC/Munster); Oisin Michel (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), James McCormick (Ballymena RFC/Ulster), Darragh McSweeney (Shannon RFC/Munster), Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster), Adam McNamee (Malone RFC/Ulster), James McNabney (Ballymena RFC/Ulster), Reuben Crothers (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster) (capt), Lorcan McLoughlin (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster).
Replacements used: George Coomber (UCC RFC/Munster) for Hawkshaw (21-32 mins), George Hadden (Gorey RFC/Clontarf FC/Leinster) for Michel, Kieran Ryan (Shannon RFC/Munster) for McSweeney, Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne FC/Leinster) for Butler (all 48), Josh Hanlon (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster) for McCormick (54), Ronan O’Sullivan (Highfield RFC/Munster) for Crothers, Coomber for McCarthy (both 56), Charlie Irvine (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster) for O’Tighearnaigh, Diarmuid Mangan (UCD RFC/Leinster) for McNamee, Michael Moloney (UCD RFC/Leinster) for Coughlan (all 59), George Shaw (Cardiff University/IQ Rugby) for McLoughlin (70), Reece Malone (Loughborough University/Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster) for Hawkshaw (77).
Referee: AJ Jacobs (South Africa)
Source: Irish Rugby