With the final round and also the final day of Pool games upon us the final Pool D match between Ireland and France at the Millennium Stadium was set up to be the most intense yet as both sides competed for the top spot.
Neither Joe Schmidt nor Philippe Saint-Andre could contemplate the possibility of finishing second with the daunting challenge of facing current world champions New Zealand in the quarter-finals when a much more comfortable – although still challenging, Argentinian side awaited on the other side of the draw.
Although Ireland came into the game with a slight points difference advantage that would have seen Paul O’Connell’s side finish top had the game ended in a draw but that did not stop the French side talk the talk prior to the match with head coach Saint-Andre almost too confident that his side could snatch a win following Ireland’s struggling performance against Italy only a few days earlier.
And the game itself did not fail to disappoint as the Cardiff crowd were treated to a fantastic game of rugby as two of the game’s giants went head-to-head whilst neither side gave away an inch in an intense and brutal pitch that saw blood, sweat and tears spilled on Welsh ground.
Ireland did not hold back against their rivals and from the kick-off looked to assert themselves on the French defence but Theirry Dusautoir and company emphatically held their ground as Ireland struggled to find a way through the well-drilled and organised French defence.
But Ireland were afforded some luck of their own after both Frederic Michalak and Scott Spedding both missed crucial penalty kicks whilst Jonny Sexton himself was on hand to give Ireland a 9-6 lead at half-time.
However, in what has been a brutish and physical World Cup tournament this year it was the turn of Ireland to suffer some injury problems of their own as Sexton looked to have injured his groin after chasing a poor kick whilst O’Connell’s hamstring gave way as he looked to secure the ball at the breakdown.
Without arguably their two most influential players for the second-half as well as the departure of another pivotal player to their game in Peter O’Mahony it was left to Sean O’Brien to take the French bull by the horns and ensure that victory would go the way of the boys in green.
But the Leinster flanker’s game could have taken a very wicked turn in the first-half had referee Nigel Owens laid witness to a punch to the stomach of Pascal Pape by O’Brien after the number seven was aggravated by the Frenchman pulling his shirt back.
No excuses can be made for the actions of the brutish Irish flanker however it was his attitude and work ethic in defence that saw him turn from pantomime villain to hero as he foresaw the organisation of a rugged Irish defence that managed to keep Michalak and his side at bay long enough for Rob Kearney and Conor Murray to secure the victory.
At times when it seemed nearly impossible to break the French defence, it was the number seven who stepped forward and broke the gain line, managing 20 carries throughout the 80 minutes whilst his efforts in defence saw him turn over the ball no fewer than on three occasions and his effort to close down the French defence when it looked like they were odds on to score undoubtedly saved his side from a try-scoring opportunity.
O’Brien was deservedly awarded the man of the match accolade at the end of the game whilst the joy of winning the game emphasised by no one more than Ian Madigan who was seen breaking down into tears of joy having managed to orchestrate a historic first World Cup win against the French.
But it remains to be seen if O’Brien will still have cause for concern by the time Schmidt’s side return to the side of the Millennium Stadium pitch next weekend when they line up against Argentina as the possibility of a citing and more seriously, a ban, surround remaining impact O’Brien can still have on this year’s World Cup.
