And like every time, Zombie resounded in the stadium. Having become the unofficial anthem of the Club XV during the World Cup, the song by the Irish group The Cranberries is taken up in chorus by its supporters each time the national team wins. And during the group stage, the fans of the men in green were able to shout: by inflicting a correction on Scotland (36-14), Saturday October 7 at the Stade de France (Saint-Denis), Jonathan Sexton and his teammates signed a fourth consecutive victory at the World Cup, thereby validating their qualification for the quarter-finals.
Thanks to this immaculate record, the Irish finish at the top of Group B and will have the perilous privilege of facing New Zealand in the quarter-finals. By a billiard shot with several cushions that an Irish fan of snooker, the XV of France also knows its opponent in the next round. First in Group A, the Blues will challenge South Africa on Sunday October 15 at the Stade de France, the reigning world champions finishing in second place in Group B.
The day after their demonstration against Italy (60-7), the French had to calmly witness the Celtic shock. But with probably also a touch of concern in the face of the thunderous performance of the Irish, which they could hypothetically find in the final of the competition. Because in a Stade de France which took on the air of Aviva Stadium in Dublin as the green jerseys had taken possession of the stands, the XV du Trèfle offered a recital of power and tactics.
Not yet officially assured of joining the next round at kick-off, the Irish did not take long to reassure themselves. One minute and twenty-two seconds precisely. Time for winger James Lowe to lie down in the Chardon XV goal after a major movement from his back line partners. The start of a festival on both sides of the field.
Solid, then offensive
After this first flash, the Irish defense had to contain the Scottish surges for a long time. Eager to win with the offensive bonus point, the players of Scottish coach Gregor Townsend stubbornly refused to take penalties in order to aim for tries. And they almost succeeded several times in the first twenty minutes, but they came up against the tough defense led by Irish third row Peter O’Mahony.
Saturday evening, the green giant (1.91 m) entered the closed circle of players with at least 100 caps under the XV du Trèfle jersey. But at a press conference, the third row made it clear that he did not appreciate the uproar in the Anglo-Saxon press around the passing of this symbolic milestone. “I would rather be having tea with my teammates. I would give anything not to be here.”, he told journalists. Back in his element, on the pitch, it was not an earl gray that he and his teammates served to the Scots but a house specialty: percussion and tackles, enough to make you shake a Stade de France until the end. Emerald Isle.
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