Ireland 27-42 France result – Six Nations latest as Louis Bielle-Biarrey scores brace and visitors take pole position

A brace of tries from Louis Bielle-Biarrey paved the way for France to regain pole position in the Six Nations title race.

Heading into the final weekend France will know that a bonus-point win at home to Scotland will be enough to lift the title.

Ireland were in top position heading into the game, but an early yellow card for Joe Mc­Carthy put them on the back foot and Bielle-Biarrey's try put France ahead.

A pair of Sam Pren­der­gast penalties pulled Ireland back into the contest and then Dan Shee­han's try put them ahead early in the second half.

However, France upped the tempo with Paul Boude­hent replying immediately before Bielle-Biarrey, Os­car Je­gou and Dami­an Pe­naud tries put the game out of sight.

Ireland rallied late but Cian Healy and Jack Co­nan tries came too late to impact the result.

Ireland captain Caelan Doris has responded to his side losing to France.

He said: "In the middle section of the second half we didn't control it well enough.

"There was some ill-discipline. They played their power with pick and goes around the breakdown.

"They got a bit of momentum and when we got tired defensively they spread it out wide and scored, that happened two or three times in quite fast succession."

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France scored five tries to move top of the Six Nations table ahead of the final weekend.

Despite losing talisman Antoine Dupont to injury, France were formidable in Dublin with Thomas Ramos and Louis Bielle-Biarrey leading the way.

France host Scotland next weekend knowing that a bonus-point win will seal the Six Nations championship.

That’s full-time and the Six Nations title is in French hands next week.

A quickly taken penalty by Prendergast results in the ball being played out wide for Conan to score at the death.

Prendergast converts.

Replacement Healy marks his final game at Dublin in an Ireland shirt as a line-out is played into his path. France miss the tackle and Healy dots the ball down.

Pren­der­gast is good with the boot.

A counter-attacking try sees Ramos break through the line and then finding Penaud who has the fitness to out-pace the final defender and celebrate his try in style.

Ramos adds the extras with his conversion.

An off-side challenge results in Cros being sent to the sin-bin.

The hosts are throwing everything forward in these final 10 minutes.

A line-out sees the ball played out to Nash who is always being held as he crosses the whitewash and French bodies are under the ball.

Healy on for Porter; Her­ring for Shee­han; Mur­ray on for Gib­son-Park

Ramos has been almost impeccable with the boot this afternoon and he puts the match further out of sight with a penalty down the middle.

Clark­son on for Beal­ham; Van der Fli­er on for Doris.

France are once again camped on the Ireland line. A constant battering by the forwards results in replacement Jegou backing into his opponent and dotting down.

The conversion by Ramos is once again good.

Aki makes way for Crowley as Ireland need to find something in this match. Also McCarthy is replaced by Ryan

France elect to extend their lead via another Ramos penalty as Dublin falls silent.

Ireland make two changes: Van der Fli­er replaced by Baird; O'Ma­ho­ny replaced by Co­nan

Meanwhile, France change their front row: Marc­hand for Mau­va­ka; Baille for Gros; Meafou for Guil­lard;  Aldegheri for Ato­nio; Jelonch for Alldritt

Out if nowhere the ball is played along the line before wingers Penaud and Bielle-Biarrey combine. The latter kicks the ball over the top and then regathers in the red zone to dot down.

The conversion from Ramos is straightforward.

Baras­si is replaced by Je­gou while he receives a head impact assessment from the challenge by Nash.

Ireland are reduced to 14 men again as Nash is judged to have been upright in the tackle against Barassi