France staved off an Ireland fightback to win 27-15 in the opening match of the 2025 Women’s Six Nations in Belfast on Saturday.
Both teams scored three tries apiece but while France’s Morgane Bourgeois was perfect from the kicking tee, with three conversions and two penalties, Ireland missed all of their conversions.
Last season France were runners-up to England — who begin their quest to win an unprecedented eighth successive title and fourth consecutive Grand Slam at home to Italy on Sunday, with the Red Roses bidding for more Six Nations glory ahead of this year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup on home soil.
But Ireland, third in 2024, came into this tournament with high hopes following a stunning victory over world champions New Zealand in September.
Yet it was France who led 17-5 at half-time after tries from Gabrielle Vernier and Marine Menager.
But a 45th-minute red card for Vernier gave Ireland a way back into the game at Ravenhill.
Ireland made their advantage count as Neve Jones and Aoife Wafer — with her second try of the match — reduced the deficit to 17-15.
But that was as close as Ireland got, with Emilie Boulard’s late try for France putting the game beyond the reach of the hosts.
“We’re disappointed and we feel we let a result get away from us,” Ireland coach Scott Bemand told the BBC.
He added: “France are a very good team and we gave them too many soft entries early in the game. But there’s a streak of resilience in this group, we got a score back and there’s huge credit to what the forwards are doing.”
France made their early pressure count when centre Vernier marked her 50th cap by barging over from close range.
France doubled their lead when Bourgeois unselfishly sent in Menager to help make it 14-0 but Ireland responded when Wafer powered over in the 21st minute.
Dannah O’Brien, however, was unable to convert.
Bourgeois’s penalty extended France’s lead before the break.
But the second-half dismissal of Vernier, who saw a yellow card upgraded to red for making head contact with Eve Higgins, sparked an Irish revival that saw Jones score a try from a rolling maul.
Wafer then set up an exciting finish when she scored her second try of the match but a late Bourgeois penalty and Boulard’s try saw France pull clear.
Scotland face Wales in the tournament’s second match later Saturday.
