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Tommy Bowe touches down for his second try. Omnisport
Six Nations

Match report: France battle back to draw with Irish in Paris

The rescheduled clash, postponed from three weeks ago due to a frozen pitch, was well worth the wait.

FRANCE AND IRELAND shared the spoils in a thrilling 17-17 Six Nations match in Paris today.

The rescheduled clash, postponed from three weeks ago due to a frozen pitch, was well worth the wait. But for Ireland it was another case of so close yet so far as they squandered a 17-6 half-time lead against a fast-finishing home side, whose hopes of a Grand Slam were thwarted by the passionate performance of the visitors.

The Irish had won only once in Paris in 40 years but it looked like that hoodoo was about to be lifted as winger Tommy Bowe crossed twice in the opening 40 minutes to give the visitors a major advantage.

Bowe opened the scoring in the 13th minute, intercepting a telegraphed Aurelien Rougerie pass to score under the posts, which Jonathan Sexton converted France hit back with two Morgan Parra penalties within the space of five minutes to reduce the deficit to four.

But the plucky Irish were not finished and Bowe crossed for his 24th international try four minutes before half-time after a clever kick and chase. Sexton added the points. The second half saw a rejuvenated France hit back with another Parra penalty in the 47th minute. The home side’s only try came three minutes later when centre Wesley Fofana picked up a loose ball and charged down the left flank, brushing aside full-back Rob Kearney’s desperate tackle to dive in the corner.

Parra missed the conversion but set up a pulsating final 13 minutes when he tied the scores with a fine penalty from near the halfway line. But a strong defensive effort from Ireland in the final 10 minutes ensured they hung on for a draw.

‘We left it behind us’ – O’Connell frustrated by missed opportunity

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