France scrapes past Ireland to reach Women’s Rugby World Cup semifinals
France captain Manaé Feleu spoiled Ireland’s last-chance lineout and sent her team into the Women’s Rugby World Cup semifinals in Exeter on Sunday.
France won a nail-biter 18-13 from 13-0 down at halftime in slippery conditions.
The French advanced to their ninth semifinal in 10 World Cups against England or Scotland but they were pushed to the brink by a tenacious Irish side playing their first knockout match in 11 years.
“We’re heartbroken,” Ireland captain Sam Monaghan said. “It went to the death. We took them to a dark place. It was in our hands.”
Two last-minute penalties gave Ireland a throw-in five meters from the try-line with the French short a woman; Alexandra Chambon was in the sin-bin.
France gambled on lifting players instead of bracing for a maul and Feleu, at the front, got finger-tips to the throw-in to knock on the ball and close the nerve-wracking end.
But perhaps even more incredible was the French defense at the end of the first half.
Ireland had first use of what Sandy Park veterans predicted was a 15-point wind and was 13-0 up but desperate for a possibly decisive third try.
Feleu was in the sin-bin for collapsing a 20-meter rolling maul. But somehow her 14 teammates repelled 35 phases by the Irish that lasted for four edge-of-the-seat minutes.
“Super proud,” Feleu said. “We knew it was going to be hard in the conditions. We just needed to be patient (in the first half), put our heads down and defend. We showed a great spirit. Our defense is really part of our team values.”
Ireland got tries by prop Linda Djougang and fullback Stacey Flood, playing on a stitched right foot cut to the bone last weekend against New Zealand. Dannah O’Brien’s only successful goalkick in three attempts made it 13-0.
But it didn’t appear enough in the conditions, especially having spent 80% of the half on French turf, which accounted for the desperation before the interval.
Morgane Bourgeois began France’s comeback with a penalty kick and conversion to a try by No. 8 Charlotte Escudero to trail by three.
Two huge turnovers by replacement hooker Manon Bigot, a 35-year-old firefighter, led to right wing Joanna Grisez’s 12th try in 12 tests and fourth in the World Cup, and Bourgeois’ second penalty kick for 18-13 with five tense minutes to go.
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
By FOSTER NIUMATA
Associated Press
