France 36–14 Ireland: Bielle-Biarrey’s Brace Powers Les Bleus to Emphatic Six Nations 2026 Opening Victory

The 2026 Guinness Six Nations Championship exploded into life on Thursday evening with a statement performance from defending champions France, who dismantled Andy Farrell’s Ireland 36–14 before a capacity crowd at the Stade de France. It was a result that emphatically announced Les Bleus’ intent to retain their title — and simultaneously raised urgent questions about Ireland’s trajectory heading into a Rugby World Cup year.

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Wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey was the headline act, scoring twice and tormenting the Irish defence with his electrifying pace throughout the opening 40 minutes. But this was a collective demolition job orchestrated by captain Antoine Dupont, who controlled the tempo with the authority of a conductor leading a symphony of fast-phase rugby that Ireland simply could not contain.

Match Scoreboard

	France	Ireland
Final Score	36	14
Tries	5	2
Conversions	4/5	2/2
Penalties	1	0
Half-time Score	22–0	—

Venue: Stade de France, Paris | Referee: Karl Dickson (England)

First Half: A Masterclass in French Flair

From the opening whistle, France operated at a tempo that Ireland could not match. Within two minutes, Bielle-Biarrey was testing the Irish defence down the left flank, and by the tenth minute he had crossed the whitewash for the opening try of the 2026 Championship. Sam Prendergast kept the ball in play with an acrobatic kick, but the French seized possession and moved through multiple phases with devastating speed before the UBB winger finished clinically.

Matthieu Jalibert extended the lead with a second try that showcased France’s attacking depth, and Thomas Ramos was impeccable from the tee. The Irish pack, weakened by injuries at loosehead and missing the cohesion that underpinned their dominant 2023–24 campaigns, was beaten at the gainline repeatedly. By half-time, the scoreboard read 22–0 — a deficit that no visiting team had overturned in Paris in modern Six Nations history.

Second Half: Ireland’s Brief Resurgence and France’s Finishing Punch

To their credit, Ireland emerged from the interval with renewed intensity. Replacement hooker Rónan Kelleher and a fired-up bench produced 14 points in a compressed spell that briefly suggested a comeback was possible. The Stade de France fell quiet for the first time as Irish forwards finally gained ascendancy in the collision areas that had been so one-sided before the break.

But France’s composure under pressure proved decisive. Replacement scrum-half Lenni Nouchi delivered a crucial defensive set just metres from his own line, and Bielle-Biarrey’s second try — assisted by a remarkable volley-kick from Ramos — restored the comfortable margin. Theo Attissogbe sealed the victory with a fifth try at the death, finishing off an offload from Emmanuel Meafou in the corner.

Try Scorers

France (5 tries)

Scorer	Minute	Assist/Key Involvement
Louis Bielle-Biarrey	10′	Multi-phase team move
Matthieu Jalibert	22′	Inside backs combination
Thomas Ramos (pen try)	35′	Penalty converted
Louis Bielle-Biarrey	65′	Ramos volley-kick assist
Theo Attissogbe	80′	Meafou offload

Ireland (2 tries)

Scorer	Minute	Context
Rónan Kelleher	52′	Bench impact; turnover ball
Jack Conan	56′	Driving maul finish

Data compiled from official match report, Six Nations Rugby

Tactical Analysis: Where Ireland Went Wrong

The post-match inquest will focus on three critical failures for Ireland. First, their tackle completion rate in the opening 40 minutes was alarmingly poor. Bielle-Biarrey was able to brush past three defenders within a metre of the touchline for one try — a sequence that would have been unthinkable during Ireland’s dominant 2023 Grand Slam campaign.

Second, their kick-chase game was ineffective. France’s back three of Ramos, Bielle-Biarrey, and Attissogbe were able to gather Irish kicks with time and space, turning potential pressure into counter-attacking opportunities. Captain Caelan Doris was blunt in his assessment: “Kick chase not good enough. Not good enough in the collision. Not good enough overall.”

Third, the post-Lions tour hangover is now a documented phenomenon, and Ireland appear to be suffering from it acutely. Former France captain Philippe Saint-André observed before the match: “They are not as good as two years ago. Leinster still win, but they don’t play like before.” The results are bearing out that analysis.

Championship Implications: Title Race Already Taking Shape

For France, this performance validates Fabien Galthié’s squad building. The depth of talent — from Dupont’s generalship to the emergence of young wings like Bielle-Biarrey and Attissogbe — suggests a team peaking at exactly the right moment ahead of next year’s home Rugby World Cup.

For Ireland, the road does not get easier. Upcoming fixtures against Scotland and England will test a squad that now faces questions about its pack conditioning, half-back options with Sam Prendergast still developing, and whether the golden generation that delivered back-to-back Grand Slams has begun to fade. The bonus point conceded in Paris could prove decisive on Super Saturday, March 14.

The tournament is one match old, but the message from Paris is already deafening: France are the team to beat, and everyone else is scrambling to respond.

2026 Six Nations Standings After Round 1 (Partial)

Team	P	W	PD	Pts
France	1	1	+22	5
England	0	0	0	0
Scotland	0	0	0	0
Wales	0	0	0	0
Italy	0	0	0	0
Ireland	1	0	-22	0

Note: Remaining Round 1 fixtures yet to be played. France awarded bonus point for 4+ tries.