Ireland’s first attacking gambit is to send Bundee Aki up the middle, and Romain Ntamack’s attempt to go high is given particularly short shrift by the Connacht centre. But France’s line speed is strong, and Caelan Doris is unable to use his trademark footwork through contact to make metreage.

Anthony Jelonch appears to be leaning on the ruck, and thus not supporting his body weight, but Angus Gardner is happy with the legality of the French flanker’s jackal. Another penalty to the home side.

The battle in the air at the lineout is intense. Both teams are throwing up defensive jumpers at every opportunity and forcing inaccurate or untidy set-piece ball. Julien Marchand’s latest dart drifts to hit treble one and is rightly ruled not straight.

New hooker Dan Sheehan and his clutch of lineout lifters don’t quite get their timing right, with Tadhg Beirne not quite able to claw the ball back. But France knock on, and Joey Carbery kicks deep and long, and safely for touch.

Joey Carbery tests Melvyn Jaminet’s head for heights with a high bomb of alpine amplitude. Jaminet claims the mark with limited fuss.

Ronan Kelleher receives some medical attention but is back amongst things for this French lineout, which will be thrown about 30 metres from the Ireland line.

France are properly charging into every contact, but Ireland stand firm. Tadhg Beirne jackals, and a clearing French player has come in from the side.

Kelleher won’t be continuing – I think this might be a Head Injury Assessment. Dan Sheehan is on, perhaps temporarily.

But Ireland again miss their interchange in midfield, knocking on for a third time in similar manner inside this first quarter and a bit. Melvyn Jaminet arrives like a locomotive, taken around the top of the chest by Bundee Aki, drawing questioning boos from the crowd who think it might have just strayed high. It looks ok.

France then stall slightly, but Romain Ntamack cannily drops the ball on to his right toe, turning Hugo Keenan and allowing the French shirts to envelop the Irish fly-half. Keenan is delivered over the touchline.

Another lineout miscue from France allows Ronan Kelleher a chance to deliver some punishment to Romain Ntamack, who is biffed away having been second to the bouncing ball against a stodgier man.

Ireland play to the left after another bouncing ball tumbles favourably for the visitors. Mack Hansen is just about clung on to.

First point to France at scrum-time. Andrew Porter flicks back his hair and shakes his head as he is penalised for driving with an improper angle and going to floor under the rigours of Uini Atonio.

Cameron Woki is some sight in full flight at the lineout, thrown high into the sky to contest Irish ball and nearly winning the ball back.

That is less pretty from the flanker-cum-lock. After Ireland knock-on, Woki hacks a horrible kick upwards that is so bad, and travels so little distance, that referee Angus Gardner does not deem there to have been any advantage gained. France scrum.

Angus Gardner has had a good 20 minutes. He has been decisive and fair at the ruck, not permitting any tomfoolery but also allowing the game to flow. The latest French attempt to jackal is ruled illegal. Ireland penalty, and a lineout in French territory as a result.