'We took an opportunistic try'

The French are rarely straightforward. But in the bowels of the Hogan Stand, the warm glow of victory that radiated from their easy smiles told us more about the simple, uncomplicated thoughts in their minds and of how they burgled this match from Ireland.

French captain Raphael Ibanez and coach Bernard Laporte both sat back in their chairs in Croke Park fizzing with mild disbelief and, no doubt at their own audacity and panache for theft. Beaming about the fact that they could be here an hour after the match explaining how they allowed Ireland smell victory before putting them to the sword, brought on a certain satisfaction.

You could easily have imagined "Le Professeur" Laporte wringing his hands with a few minutes to go and thinking in his brainy rugby head how he would explain how Ireland had successfully plotted against his team. Then, hey presto! Bin that first draft and rewrite it along the lines of "we always thought we could win in Croke Park".

There were a lot of people going around the stadium after yesterday's horror ending comforting themselves with homespun wisdoms like, 'well that's rugby for ya'. But yesterday it wasn't the French.

"I explained to everyone when we were coming we knew that the Irish team were going to be very, very strong because there was a lot of history in this match, in this stadium," said Ibanez.

"But we always thought that we had a chance to win even after O'Gara's last penalty kick. I told myself on the restart why not, let's go.

"Under pressure I never felt that any of the players were panicking. We were all convinced that we could win the game at the end."

Few other teams would have had such positive thoughts given Ireland's defence in recent matches and particularly in the second half yesterday. Perhaps Ibanez sensed a soft try was in the making but his frontrow colleague, the South African-born tighthead prop, Pieter De Villiers, was surprised at Ireland's concession of an easy try and that the outcome turned in the blink of an eye.

"It was fantastic for the guys to come back and score that try. Yes, it was surprisingly easy compared to their (Ireland's) great defence for the whole match," said De Villiers. "There was some space left open. Maybe there was a slight concentration drop and we took an opportunistic try.

"In the second half up front and around the fringes, Ireland cranked it up. Our defence was not that bad but they still went forward with their pick-and-go ball and their lineout drive. It was very good and put us in a difficult position at some stages.

"Yes we're in a good position now with two home games coming up but you know the French," added De Villiers. "We shouldn't get that excited so early and should just keep our heads down and focus on the next match in two weeks' time against Wales. They have given us problems in the past.

"In the context of the World Cup, it will be a lot different but it's a good preparation for us. It will probably give us a mental advantage. But in France you know how it goes. You shouldn't take too much of a mental advantage because you might fall asleep."

Laporte, too, puts little investment in making large deductions from such small-margin wins. But his mind is partly thinking about issues much further down the road and he definitely appeared to be suggesting that in stopping Ireland from winning a Grand Slam and curbing their momentum going into the summer, France would be helping their own World Cup cause. Ireland landing in France with Six Nations accolades may well make the French dream of winning in their own country more difficult. In one effort, Laporte and his team believe that they have dented Irish hopes in two competitions.

"The game in September against Ireland will be a different game in a different context but what we wanted to do is stop them from winning the Grand Slam and the Championship this year and the best way to do that was to win the game here," said Laporte.

"We have won the game here today and that's fine. But don't mix everything up. They were the favourites. I'm not sure if we are the favourites now but we are still alive to win the Championship."

De Villiers put French ambitions more succinctly. " It's a half tournament, half World Cup kind of thing," he said. "Certainly in the World Cup Ireland can be a threat, and so will Argentina. We've a very tough pool. But this tournament is a very important team-building moment for us.

"We felt coming into the match that we were able to give Ireland a good run for their money. It was important for us to do well because, like I said, we're in the same World Cup pool. We are building at the moment to get the confidence going after the autumn tournament."