By PAUL REES

Ireland............................... 32pts
Tries: Keenan 9, Lowe 21, Porter 26, Ringrose 72 Conversions: Sexton 11, 27; Byrne 74 Penalties: Sexton 41, Byrne 60

France................................. 19pts
Tries: Penaud 18 Conversions: Ramos 19 Penalties: Ramos 5, 15, 33 Drop-goal: Ramos 62
Matched between top teams often resemble a firework that splutters and dies, an anti-climax after a big build-up.
This encounter between the top two teams in the world rankings was not one of them as both teams went for it from the outset as if intent on showing that the inter nation...