France recovered from a 13-0 half-time deficit to beat Ireland 18-13 at Sandy Park and secure their passage to a ninth Women’s Rugby World Cup semi-final.
Ireland scored first-half tries through Linda Djougang and Stacey Flood while Dannah O’Brien added a penalty.
However, Les Bleues withstood a five-minute spell of pressure at the end of the first 40 with only 14 players and with conditions in their favour in the second half hit back.
Charlotte Escudero and Joanna Grisez scored the French tries while full-back Morgane Bourgeois crucially kicked six points to take them past Ireland.
The Irish had a chance to win it at the end but French captain Manae Feleu rose highest to disrupt their lineout and the women in blue were able to see out victory.
Here’s what we learned at Sandy Park.
First-half defensive effort crucial
In real time you had the impression it was a crucial, perhaps game defining, passage of play and so it proved.
With captain Manae Feleu in the sin bin and the clock well in the red at the end of the first half, Ireland launched wave after wave of attacks at the French line.
If the Blue wall had cracked then, Ireland would have had the opportunity to stretch their lead to 20 points.