still, like you said on the Dragons board, we were capable of putting a side together comprised almost totally of players inside a SuperLeague system.

I think it was a decent effort by a young-ish Ireland squad against a very strong French pack.

Not sure if the story about the Scotland game next week made it into the RL press. It was due to be at Stade Ernest Wallon in Toulouse, home of Stade Toulousain RU team. About 3 weeks ago, the French RL were told that they couldn't use the ground because there was an infestation of mushrooms on the pitch and they are trying to minimize the use of it (which seems to mean the RU team can carry on as normal).

So the game was switched to Albi - which will also hold the Wales game the following week. I guess they needed somewhere reasonably close to Toulouse, having already sold tickets for the match. Albi holds 13000, around double that of the two other grounds available in the Toulouse area.

Great crowd. Just wish the tournament was getting a bit more coverage.

I believe today's Wales/Scotland game will be shown in France on Orange (and Wales Ireland next week). Might be worth checking the relevant links this afternoon.

FMD what a brilliant crowd.

RL in france has been truly revived with Les Cats being put into SL.

the RFL have to be commended for their courage in giving france another chance at SL.

hopefully toulose can sort themselves out and get a SL spot after widnes

Silly mistakes by Ireland.

France deserved the win, they controlled the play the ball, played with a lot of flair and were typically tough. If a few of the errors had been cut out from Ireland the score could have been limited further and of course the poor goal kicking could have made things look a bit closer.

All the same, I'm happy, we were willing to try things but really need to calm things down at times and just take the ball up the middle. I'm expected a good game and hopefully a win when we take on Scotland which will be a closer contest than this match no doubt. I also think that Wales can really trouble France if they have everything together.

All in all an entertaining start to the International calender and it's good to be able to watch Ireland play.

Aye, though 13 SL players in the Irish squad, they're in no way the Welsh "espoirs" team.

There wasnt 13 players in that 17 with SL experience though, lots of experince in the lower leagues for guys like Brett McDermott and Bob Beswick and only Grix and O'Callaghan in the 3/4 with much SL experince. A few guys out of the Irish Amatuer competition too. If Ireland can keep some of those young guys on they have a chance in the future.

I think its a superb start to the competition in so many ways.

Any idea as to how to watch the game?

Its a shame sky sports decided to dump the competition, especially with it being much improved from last year.

the highlights are on sky sports 2 at 9 o`clock tomorrow night

Now why do you think they did that?

Anything to do with the fact no one cares?

How do you explain the 14k crowd?

Yeah, why comment on games that have taken place this weekend when you can post in threads about connecting a new house to a phone network and Pan Am flight deaths like you have previously.

You really are a prize tool it must be said.

Yeah they showed the game. not sure why?

As Direct 8 are showing the French games. So why has no channel not picked this up when a game being played in UK is beng shown in France.

Oh thats right the lager cup is being played so sky sports are cracking a massive one off over that.

But onion is on, don't forget that Sky think two french teams are of interest over here.

As long as people will watch they get the advertising (hopefully the BIG spenders who are too stupid to realsie they being conned) which is what they are after, the game itself is irrelevant.

Wales v Scotland in Rugby League would only be of interest to about 1000 people out of 62,000,000 or whatever the population of the UK is these days though

Orange didn't show the Wales game in the end - even though they were still advertising it this morning. It appears they asssumed (wrongly) that they'd be able to retransmit the Sky footage - but Sky didn't show it. But the other France games will also be on Direct 8.

Before you all get too excited about the crowd, bear in mind that the majority got in for free.

The scoreline reflect's as to why Ireland need a fully professional team to give them more exposure to the top player's.
France's class is from having a side in the SL the same with Wales.

Which or course PROVES there actually was no interest at all in the game, only the fact that something was FREE!!!

Ant80. If you going to have Semi pro RL in Ireland you would probably need a NI team (Belfast) & a Dublin team.

You can watch the tries of the game : Part 1 : www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KEHufgO ... re=related Part 2 : www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5RiRkRk ... re=related Part 3 : www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vQokrG0 ... re=related Part 4 : www.youtube.com/watch?v=92kZOP5i ... re=related Part 5 : www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYRxejOt ... re=related Enjoy watching

You can watch the tries of the game : Part 1 : www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KEHufgO ... re=related Part 2 : www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5RiRkRk ... re=related Part 3 : www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vQokrG0 ... re=related Part 4 : www.youtube.com/watch?v=92kZOP5i ... re=related Part 5 : www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYRxejOt ... re=related Enjoy watching

I'm surprised the crowd wasn't 5,000,000 if the match was being held in Scotland and it was free entry

French papers are quoting Nicholas Larrat (head of the French Federation) saying that if France does qualify for the next 4 nations, a game against NZ or Australia will be played at Avignon due to the success of the Ireland game. The local paper in Albi is reporting that a 4 nations game may be played there next year, too. Seems like ticket sales for the games in Albi are going well.

If France do get through I say bang the whole lot of there. Why not take a gamble.