Kick, kick and kick it high again: Jamison Gibson-Park clears the ball against France in Paris. Photo: Adam Davy/PA Wire
We knew we’d finish a distant second in the singing of the so-called anthem on Thursday night, but in terms of what was to follow, we were underdogs yes but surely the ‘fighting Irish in Paris’ weren’t without hope? How wrong was that assessment! ​
What we got was as flat and insipid an Irish performance as anything we’ve witnessed in recent times. And I include the poor autumn displays against New Zealand and South Africa in that judgment. Even allowing for a mid-second-half comeback of sorts this was a truly dreadful Irish collective performance.