France make Six Nations statement as Antoine Dupont and Matthieu Jalibert unlock new dimension

And they said that Antoine Dupont and Matthieu Jalibeart couldn’t play together; consider that notion most definitively dismissed. On a night of real Gallic charm, France laid down a Six Nations marker with a display of ambition and attacking skill to rival any that they have produced during the recent restoration of the French monarchy in this competition. Led by their half-backs, the defending champions looked down on a fellow contender and perhaps exiled them for good, leaving Ireland confronting the grim realities of what feels a sharp decline.

These two have shared a few epics in their shared recent duopoly of this championship. This was not an occasion of that type. Virtually from the first peep of Karl Dickson’s whistle, the victor was clear as France found a level that Ireland could not match. With Louis Bielle-Biarrey adding two more tries to his rapidly-swelling tournament tally, France provided the first 29 points of what plenty felt might be a nip-and-tuck contest to cement their place as title favourites.

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The hypothesis was that Dupont and Jalibert were an ill-matched half-back pairing, two of rugby’s premier talents never managing to find the symbiosis required at Test level. It was a theory backed up by the evidence of the last two times they had started in partnership: the quarter-final defeat to South Africa at the 2023 World Cup and the insouciant display against England last year. Galthie’s seeming distaste for the fly half had not helped matters, with the relationships built between Dupont and his teammates at Toulouse generally deemed preferable to the considerable gifts Jalibert could bring.

This felt like the first time that both have really clicked in the same French side, each bouncing with ideas and invention, with Jalibert accepting of his role as second. fiddle. It could perhaps be said that France felt the benefit of the bounce of the ball, yet much of their interplay was delicious regardless. It is hoped that Dupont’s usual running-mate Romain Ntamack will be back from a kidney issue for next week’s trip to Wales, but Jalibert could have done little more to stake a claim to remain. Dupont certainly will – France’s win over Ireland last year had ended in agony for the France captain after tearing his ACL; now he could share fully in the ecstasy.

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The road to this year’s Six Nations title will surely travel through Paris, with England here on the final weekend. The Stade is a special place on nights like these with the tricolores waving and lights flashing to a Parisian beat, with a glitterball draped from the ceiling only accentuating the discotheque feel. With such an atmosphere and such a side, it will take some team to stop them again.

France did not quite find their groove in November but were soon moving to their music here. It took just two minutes for Bielle-Biarrey to produce his first moment of magic, a gorgeous chip-and-chase which would have led to a try if not for a fumble from a sliding Charles Ollivon at the last. The wing soon took matters out of his teammates hands. A sublime bit of skill from Sam Prendergast saw the fly half hook the ball back into play on the volley to prevent a 50:22, but his failure to find touch gave France a chance in transition. Enter Bielle-Biarrey, ghosting past three would-be tacklers without having to use the full extent of the proverbial phone box.

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Prendergast had managed to tap the speedster’s ankle to no avail, though did save a score after intercepting a pass from Nicolas Depoorteere within metres of his own line. His wretched toss thereafter, though, kept Ireland under pressure, and Jalibert glided in down the blindside from the resultant scrum. A Thomas Ramos penalty extended the advantage to 15 points, which felt almost unassailable.

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When Ollivon, surer of hand taking a pass from ubiquitous second-row partner Mickael Guillard, finished a lovely move that followed a Jalibert chip, France were pretty much out of sight. They had married daring with discipline – their first penalty conceded did not arrive until the 45th minute. That was two minutes before their fourth try, which was finished off by Bielle-Biarrey following can-can kicks from Dupont and Ramos.

Replacement Nick Timoney broke Ireland’s duck, scooting under the posts on the hour, before Michael Milne punched in to continue the fightback, with Prendergast finding a degree of confidence after the introduction of fellow fly-half Jack Crowley. It was a rally that will hearten Andy Farrell and his staff somewhat, and give hope of better times to come in the campaign, but it felt striking for a game between two top-tier nations to be decided so early. The general trend in international rugby over the last few years has been for tight Tests settled in the final quarter – the sight of a Mexican wave in Paris on the 65-minute mark said plenty. Fittingly, a Frenchman in Theo Attissogbe had the last word.

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Ireland had been brutalised by the Springboks in November but escaped with positives in the fight they had shown. There will be fewer for Farrell to find here. “We have to be honest with each other and say it as it is,” he said. “We’ve got to make sure this stands for something, and use it collectively to make sure we give a better showing of ourselves throughout the rest of this competition.”