France 25 Ireland 27

David Humphreys, who missed a last-minute opportunity in the 1999 Five Nations championship to beat the French, kept his nerve on Sunday and landed a late penalty to give Ireland their first win in Paris since 1972.

The Irish ran out 27-25 winners in their Six Nations match at the Stade de France.  In a pulsating match in which Ireland trailed for most of it, the visitors ran in three tries, all by centre Brian O'Driscoll, to just one for the French -- Gerard Merceron kicking 20 of their points.

Merceron, who showed no sign of nerves despite his inexperience at this level, kicked a beauty of a penalty from the left touchline to extend France's lead to 16-7 after they had gone in 13-7 up at the break.  The Irish looked set to go further behind a minute later as Emile Ntamack, who had had a jittery afternoon at fullback, caught Ronan O'Gara's up-and-under and released Abdelatif Benazzi, who slipped veteran hooker Marc dal Maso free with the try line beckoning.

But Irish winger Dennis Hickie came from nowhere to tackle him two metres short of the line.  In a repeat of the beginning of the first half, the French had all the play and Merceron again put over a penalty after the Irish had stopped the ball from being released.

Not to be deterred, the Irish rebounded strongly.  O'Driscoll seized on a fine pass by fellow centre Rob Henderson and ran in from 10 metres out in the 57th minute.  With O'Gara converting that put them within five points of the hosts.

However, the game looked to have turned decisively for France when experienced lock Paddy Johns became the first Irish player to be sinbinned in the tournament as he took out Lassucq right in front of the posts.  Merceron converted the penalty.

Despite being a man down Ireland got back to within five points when substitute Humphreys slotted over a penalty.  The Irish kept on giving away needless penalties and Merceron once again made them pay with another penalty from in front of the posts to take the score to 25-17.

But the visitors, showing a spirit that had been sorely lacking in their opening match against England, refused to lie down and O'Driscoll showed his predatory instincts when he picked up a loose ball and ran it in under the posts.

French coach Bernard Laporte would not have been impressed by Ntamack not even making an effort to get to O'Driscoll.  Two minutes later and Humphreys faced his monent of truth, taking it with aplomb as he converted the penalty to give Ireland the lead.  Merceron had given the French a deserved lead in the fifth minute with a penalty as the Irish were rocked back on their heels by some outstanding backplay.

The 26-year-old fly-half, a member of the Montferrand team that won the European Shield last season, added another penalty minutes later as the Irish desperately tried to stem the French attacks.  The Irish rallied and at last broke into French territory pinning the French back and got due reward in the 24th minute when O'Driscoll took a pass from lock Malcolm O'Kelly and touched down under the posts, his third try of the tournament and one which O'Gara converted.

However, the French replied in kind five minutes later as scrum-half Christophe Lassucq scored after taking a quick freekick from three metres out, though it was Bernat-Salles' stunning break through the centre which created the platform for the 26-year-old to score his first try for his country.

In a wonderful flowing period of play, Ireland came within inches of scoring another try but French captain Fabien Pelous put in a crashing tackle on flanker Kieron Dawson just short of the line.

Pelous, a member of the 1997 and 1998 Grand Slam sides, put in an even more memorable tackle five minutes later as he took down his Irish counterpart Keith Wood in full flow, leaving the usually unbreakable Irishman stunned on the ground.

Winger David Bory was denied a try within a minute of his debut when after another flowing move, inspired by the recalled Philippe Bernat-Salles coming in off his right wing, referee Peter Honiss ruled it out for a forward pass.

The loss ended France's chances of winning this season's title, while Ireland's remain flickering.

The Teams:

France:  1 Christian Califano, 2 Marc Dal Maso, 3 Franck Tournaire, 4 Olivier Brouzet, 5 Fabien Pelous (c), 6 Abdelatif Benazzi, 7 Arnaud Costes, 8 Thomas Lievremont, 9 Christophe Laussucq, 10 Gerald Merceron, 11 Philippe Bernat-Salles, 12 Cedric Desbrosse, 13 Stephane Glas, 14 David Bory, 15 Emile Ntamack
Reserves:  Franck Belot, Pieter De Villiers, Raphael Ibanez, Lionel Mallier
Unused:  Aubin Hueber, Alain Penaud, David Venditti

Ireland:  1 Peter Clohessy, 2 Keith Wood (c), 3 John Hayes, 4 Mick Galwey, 5 Malcolm O'Kelly, 6 Kieron Dawson, 7 Simon Easterby, 8 Anthony Foley, 9 Peter Stringer, 10 Ronan O'Gara, 11 Denis Hickie, 12 Rob Henderson, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 14 Kevin Maggs, 15 Girvan Dempsey
Reserves:  David Humphreys, Paddy Johns, Andy Ward
Unused:  Simon Easterby, Mike Mullins, Justin Fitzpatrick, Frankie Sheahan

Referee:  Honiss p.

Points Scorers:

France
Tries:  Laussucq C. 1
Conv:  Merceron G. 1
Pen K.:  Merceron G. 6

Ireland
Tries:  O'Driscoll B. 3
Conv:  Humphreys D.G. 1, O'Gara R. 2
Pen K.:  Humphreys D.G. 2