France survived a scare to advance to a ninth Women’s Rugby World Cup semi-final, coming from behind to edge Ireland 18-13 in a tense quarter-final at Sandy Park on Sunday.
Ireland had the wind behind them from kick-off and took advantage of the treacherous conditions to be 13-0 up at half-time, but France fought back to score 18 unanswered second-half points and book a semi-final clash against either England or Scotland in Bristol next Saturday.
Charlotte Escudero led the comeback and, along with the flying wing Joanna Grisez, went over for the French with the fly-half Morgane Bourgeois converting the first try and kicking two penalties.
Linda Djougang and Stacey Flood were Ireland’s try scorers with Dannah O’Brien adding a penalty after the wind foiled her two conversion attempts.
With a tap penalty after six minutes Djougang powered over for the first score of the match and, after the first of two French players was sent to the sin-bin, Ireland took advantage of the numerical superiority to score a second try in the 24th minute.
French errors allowed Ireland to pile on the pressure and get the ball out wide for the full-back Flood to go over.
O’Brien put over a 38th-minute penalty to extend the Irish lead but resolute French defence kept Ireland from another first-half score, even though Ireland had 35 phases of attack in seven minutes of additional time but, despite continually barging at the line, were unable to forge a breakthrough.
France’s first points came eight minutes into the second half as Bourgeois put over a penalty, followed 11 minutes later by a converted try from the loose forward Escudero that reduced the Irish lead to three points with 20 minutes to play.
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France went ahead in the 67th minute, with a steal metres from their own line as Ireland were attacking, swinging the ball out wide to Grisez, who outsprinted the Irish defenders and streaked 60m upfield to score.
With five minutes left, Bourgeois kicked over a second penalty to put France five points ahead but they had to endure some anxious moments before securing victory as Ireland botched a lineout on the French line in the final minute.
Defeat for Ireland kept up their unwanted record of never having won a knockout game at either the men’s or women’s World Cup.
