Rob Kearney 6
Carried ugly ball when Ireland needed early yardage but was stood up by the brilliant Baptiste Serin - he won’t be the last - and missed another tackle on Camille Lopez. Injury enforced withdrawal on 51 minutes.
Keith Earls 7
Bursting with enthusiasm. Got only one chance to hit warp speed but this industrious performance - knocking the ball out of Uini Atonio's claws before hopping over to instantly tackle Louis Picamoles - should nail down the 14 jersey for the remainder of the Six Nations.
Garry Ringrose 8
Saved five points when dislodging the ball from Yoann Huget’s hands with a torpedo tackle. Whether he noticed Jared Payne’s return to the Ulster squad or is just going to improve in every test match he starts, what’s clear is the Kiwi recruited to replace Brian O’Driscoll is unable to make the sort of midfield yardage of this gifted 21 year old. Tiny defensive errors are glaring because of his unlimited potential.
Robbie Henshaw 8
Tom Brady would have a different career without Rob Gronkowski, and so Sexton cannot unanimously be seen as the greatest Irish outhalf of all time without Henshaw taking the heaviest shoulders, in this case French, backrowers and centres can dish out when carrying as first receiver off set piece. Add in nine tackles.
Simon Zebo 7
Some delightful handling, some fumbles too but impressively let the ball do the work when switched to fullback. There is probably not an argument about moving him to 15 on a more permanent basis, not yet anyway, but a decent alternative.
Johnny Sexton 9
Sexton plays chess, the rest play rugby, but this maestro with dirty gloves has no intention of changing the way he flings his frame into rucks. The 50th minute drop goal, knowing there was an advantage, is one of many reasons why he’s the best in the world. Still.
Conor Murray 9
The try is trademarked by now, but other elements of his game proved equally valuable. See the back-pedalling Irish scrum on 48 minutes when he had enough sense to calmly grubber down field for a 50 metre territorial gain. The crowd made his 62nd minute chip, which caused French shoulders to visibly sag, sound like a try.
Jack McGrath 8
“I don’t want to go down,” he informed Nigel Owens after the second scrum penalty for Rabah Slimani, “He’s pushing me down,” he added of Slimani binding short. Three minutes later the Welsh referee gave Ireland the scrum penalty that led to Murray’s try. Hardcore 59 minute shift.
Rory Best 8
There are multiple examples of what the captain does for this team. Take the ruck he brutally cleaned on 58 minutes; an arrow entry or unflinching stance after a Picamoles forearm, and all the while sucking in enough oxygen to communicate with Owens.
Tadhg Furlong 8
Forget hurling or even Gordon D’Arcy, Wexford is tighthead country. Adds Yoann Maestri to the Brodie Retallick et al list of hulking locks that his fend has put on their arses. A constant ball carrying weapon now, a scrummager of serious weight and so vital in securing that split second possession on the ground - Leinster should hire someone to search all dwellings in the Campile area for similar specimens.
Donnacha Ryan 7
Ryan’s value here was three lineouts claimed, four horrendous looking tackles and smashed to a standstill from four carries. But what he really does is clear the road for others to break France. Invaluable, as Edinburgh proved.
Devin Toner 7
A few dodgy moments in the air and shunted into touch off a restart but his turnover value - three steals - and tackle count - eight - remains highly impressive against this French pack.
CJ Stander 8
Off the charts statistics as per usual: 23 carries for 38 metres, two steals on the ground, 11 tackles and took three lineouts in a string of displays that seems to be bringing the best out of O’Brien.
Sean O’Brien 8
The French had to roll his neck to drag him off their ball which resulted in a penalty and the same result as a turnover. O’Brien, with this showing, has returned to the epic standards of New Zealand in November. Keep him fit and he can go up another level in Cardiff against Tipuric and Warburton. Turned over on the floor by Eddy Ben Arous just before Peter O’Mahony came in.
Jamie Heaslip 8
Deserves a thesis, at this stage, studying his durability, charting this 80 minute man’s movements and behaviour - on the field and privately - to fully understand what he has manages to achieve in every game since his debut in 2006. Test match 100 comes in Cardiff.
Bench 7
At this juncture in his career, Paddy Jackson can be known as the closer because it is certain he will be required for at least 10 minutes of every game that Sexton starts. The opportunity came on 75 minutes to make it a two score game. He took it.
Coach 7
Got the selections spot on - for example, starting McGrath was fully backed up by Cian Healy’s impact - while the tactical acumen and attitude of his players made defeat seem incomprehensible once Sexton - his glowing gem - made it 13-6 with that 50th minute drop goal.
