Captain O’Connell bemoans opportunity lost as team pays dearly for second-half let-down

The Irish led 17-6 at half-time thanks to two tries from winger Tommy Bowe, but failed to score again as Les Bleus staged their fightback. The outcome ended France’s Grand Slam aspirations – Wales are now the only side who can obtain that prize – and effectively concluded Ireland’s slim title hopes.

One victory is a dismal return for four decades of campaigning in the French capital and O’Connell accepted Ireland should have been toasting victory last night. “There’s certainly a big feeling of defeat and an opportunity lost,” he said. “We scored an intercept try and one really good, well worked try. We then conceded a really soft, poor try and we’re really disappointed with our second half performance.

“I’m not sure what the penalty count was, I think it was 6-1, which makes it very difficult to compete. We’re very frustrated and very disappointed.”

Centre Wesley Fofana capitalised on a kind bounce before accelerating clear for France’s try in the 51st minute, with the boot of Morgan Parra doing the rest.

“At half-time, we said we must score first, which is what you say every time you lead away from home, but France are a very good side,” O’Connell said.

“They’re World Cup finalists, they nearly won the World Cup so they were always going to come hard at us. Unfortunately, they got the first score. Had we got the first score it would have been really good for us. To not score in the second half was very frustrating. To not tag on at least three points was our undoing.”

Bowe’s brilliant double gave Ireland hope of claiming their first win in Paris since 2000. The first was an intercept score from Aurelien Rougerie’s lazy pass and the second a superb solo effort finished with a chip ahead and dummy of full-back Clement Poitrenaud.

“Tommy did very well,” O’Connell added. “From a forward’s point of view, when you look up and see an intercept try it’s such a fillip, it’s like points for free in some ways. It gives you a great lift.

“It was then a fantastic finish for the second try after some great work from Sean O’Brien and great hands from the backs. It was a lovely chip and great support from Rob Kearney. That’s what Tommy’s there to do and why he’s rated as highly as he is in the world today.”

Scrum-half Conor Murray was carried off on a stretcher with a suspected hyper-extended knee, with early indications suggesting he escaped ligament damage. President Nicolas Sarkozy visited France’s dressing room after the game and congratulated the players on the spirit they had displayed.

Les Bleus coach Phillipe Saint-Andre praised Ireland’s aggressive defence. “At half-time, the glass was definitely half empty and we had a lot of issues with their rush defence,” he said. “I told the players to be tight and be aware of their defence. You can’t give points like that to Ireland.”

The draw, of course, wasn’t much good for either side and the French, like the Irish, were left to reflect on what Saint Andre described as the “feeling of defeat”.

The French coach told a news conference at full-time: “There was a feeling of defeat, not that of a draw in the dressing room.”

Disappointed with his players at both of Bowe’s tries, Saint Andre added: “When you give away ten points, it’s really hard to win the match against Ireland, who defended very well and bothered us with their umbrella defence,” said Saint Andre.

But he was proud of his team, saying they showed great character to come back into the game. “At 17-6, I asked the players to be more direct because it had started to rain and it was a bit like Irish weather out there,” he said. “We had ambitions, a desire to go forward, but at the highest level, you have to be much more precise.”

Captain Thierry Dusautoir said France should have won a game they dominated, at least in terms of possession. “The win was within our grasp,” he said. “But when you give away so many points you just get what you deserve.”