Ferocious France edge Paris battle with Ireland

Frantic, frenetic and in the finish, it was France who edged out Ireland in a compelling Guinness Six Nations clash.

Billed as a battle of the favourites for the title between two teams that had humbled New Zealand in November, it was truly one the championship's greatest encounters in recent times.

A full house at the Stade de France witnessed the sides trade blow for blow in a full-blooded not-for-the-feint-hearted spectacle.

Ireland entered the fray minus captain and talisman Johnny Sexton, injured during the week, but his deputy Joey Carbery never looked out of place in Paris.

The hosts were fully worth their 19-7 half-time lead with Mack Hansen’s superb score the only damage done for Ireland, who conceded an Antoine Dupont try with just two minutes on the clock.

But tries from Josh van der Flier and Jamison Gibson-Park had Andy Farrell's men within a point with 30 minutes left.

It looked to be there for Ireland, who beat Wales last weekend and took a losing bonus point here, but eventually the power of the France team told and they held on to go clear at the top of the table and will eye a Grand Slam now.

Ireland knew Dupont only needed a yard of space to make a difference and what they might not have expected was he also only needed 67 seconds to stamp his mark on the game.

Hansen tuned his back on a lineout ball and the Toulouse man threw it in field where Gael Fickou and Yoram Moefana crashed up the middle.

A few moments later, Romain Ntamack passed inside where Dupont was in running a trademark support line and the crowd, who had barely caught their breath after a stunning rendition of La Marseillaise, raised the roof as he dived over the line.

Full-back Melvyn Jaminet converted and Ireland tried to respond but spilled