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PARIS - "We're back" was the message coming out of the French camp after their vital 25-3 World Cup victory over Ireland at the Stade de France today, but there was realism that the hardest has yet to come.
France took hold of the Pool D game early on and never released their vice-like grip, stiffling anything the Irish threw at them and orchestrating two brilliant second half tries to romp away to victory.
The relief and joy was palpable in Paris, with coach Bernard Laporte praising the way his team have rebounded from their opening defeat to Argentina (17-12).
"We had to play well and win of course," said Laporte, reflecting on the fact that a defeat would almost certainly have seen his side eliminated.
"We took the match by the scruff of the neck. We knew how to build our game, we were patient, apart from two or three plays in the first half but overall it was good."
At one stage, with Ireland reduced to 14 players after Paul O'Connell's yellow card, France looked set to push on and try to secure a bonus point - but they fell two tries short of that.
Something which seemed to be on everyone's minds after the match.
"We didn't get the bonus, which is a shame but the important thing was to win and put ourselves well ahead of the Irish, so it is mission accomplished," added Laporte.
"On the whole we dominated, although it's a shame we didn't get the four tries. Their first line of defence was quickly up on us, they were on the brink of offside," complained first-five Frederic Michalak.
The win puts France on 10 points with Ireland on nine, meaning that if the hosts beat Georgia next week and earn the bonus point four tries would give them, they are definitely through to the quarter-finals.
However, they are not taking that for granted, especially after Georgia came within a whisker of beating Ireland a week ago, before falling 14-10.
"Qualification is not yet won, we can't take Georgia lightly," warned centre David Marty before offering an olive branch to the disheartened Irish, who look to be heading home.
"If they don't play a tactical game and just open up, they can do it," he replied when asked if Ireland can beat Argentina in their final game. "When they open up like they did at the end of the match, they're difficult to contain."
Laporte was just happy his side have rediscovered their form.
"It wasn't easy after our first clash against Argentina but both against Namibia (a 87-10 victory) and today the players showed up," said Laporte.
"We've regrouped, there were a lot of discussions and there was also a lot of pleasure in playing rugby.
"I think that's what we missed in the first game. (This time) we put the event to the back of our minds and just enjoyed playing rugby."
Winger Vincent Clerc paid tribute to the French defence.
"It was great defence, an exceptional achievement, whether with our ball or theirs we worried them a lot," he added.
"Suddenly they didn't have much of the ball, we were very aggressive in defence and that makes the difference without doing much, you win by just going back to basics."
Halfback Jean-Baptiste Elissalde and lock Jerome Thion credited the team's forward play.
"Ireland caused us some problems in the first half but then they cracked because our forwards were very physical up front," said Elissalde.
Thion added: "We fought well up front. We managed to contain their scrum, to compete with them in the line-outs and we were solid in defence."
Clerc admitted there were still tougher challenges ahead.
"We're delighted because there was pressure, but there you go, the hardest part is still ahead of us," he added alluding to a probable quarter-final match-up against New Zealand in Cardiff, unless Ireland manage to beat Argentina by a massive score next week.
- AFP
