France 56 Ireland 16
Patched-up Ireland suffered the heaviest defeat of their five-year history at a sun-baked Albi as a rampant France ran in 10 tries to equal their record score.
The Irish, hit by the late withdrawal of eight Super League players, put up a plucky show but were simply outclassed by a slick French side battle-hardened from a successful six-match tour of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
Ireland took the lead with a try from veteran winger Mark Forster after just 84 seconds but, as their inexperience began to tell, they wilted in the oppressing heat.
Leading 28-4 at half-time, France had already passed the 26-6 score posted by Scotland against the Irish in 1996 and by the end had matched the 56 points they rattled up against South Africa at the same Albi venue in last year's World Cup.
The watching national coach David Waite will have been impressed by the hosts, who take on his Great Britain side in Carcassonne in October, but will have gained few pointers towards his Ashes selection.
Young scrum-half Liam Bretherton, one of seven non-Super League players in the 17, worked tirelessly and there were useful contributions from forwards Dave Bradbury and Shayne McMenemy.
France, fresh after a month in the Southern Hemisphere, quickly found their rhythm and put together some delightful rugby, largely on the back of outstanding contributions from powerful second-rowers Pascal Jampy and Jerome Vincent and wily half-backs Fabien Devecchi and LaurentFrayssinous.
Yet it began so promisingly for Ireland when hooker Johnny Lawless combined with half-backs Gavin Clinch and Bretherton to switch play to the left, where full-back Damian Munro joined the line to send Forster over at the corner.
The 36-year-old Widnes winger became the most capped Irish player with nine appearances but his contribution was ended 10 minutes later when he sustained a knee injury.
The unlucky Irish also lost their right winger Rob Smyth, who took a blow to the head in the opening minutes, and had used all four substitutes by the 18th minute.
Fortunately for the visitors, the game was played under international rules with unlimited substitutions and they were aided considerably by a 7-0 first-half penalty count.
The disruption, however, further hampered Ireland's efforts and the French displayed ruthless efficiency to cross for five first-half tries.
Winger Michael Van Snick, one of eight Villeneuve players on duty, grabbed the first while Smyth was down receiving treatment and others came from centre Arnaud Dulac, Devecchi and Frayssinous.
It was largely one-way traffic after the break, too, with full-back Renaud Guige, centre Sylvain Houles, Jampy, Vincent and Frayssinous adding further tries.
Dulac kicked six conversions from eight attempts and Frayssinous two from two.
Ireland never gave up and they gained just reward with second-half tries from skipper Barrie McDermott and Bradbury, with Clinch kicking two goals. -AFP