Vibrant Irish down France

Dublin - Ireland, chasing a first Grand Slam since 1948, enjoyed the perfect start to their 2009 Six Nations campaign on Saturday with an impressive 30-21 victory over France.

Tries by Jamie Heaslip, Brian O'Driscoll, his 33rd for his country, and Gordon D'Arcy, on his return to international rugby after a year's absence, saw the Irish to their first win over France since 2003.

The victory also represented a winning Six Nations debut for Ireland coach Declan Kidney.

The visitors scored two tries through Imanol Harinordoquy and Maxime Medard.

Ireland took the lead in the third minute as Ronan O'Gara comfortably slotted over a penalty after referee Nigel Owens had penalised the French for an infringement 30 metres out.

The French pressured the hosts immediately afterwards but were let down as a bad pass bounced off centre Yannick Jauzion's head and the Irish eventually cleared their lines when they were awarded a penalty.

However, persistent French pressure finally paid off in the 15th minute when a flowing move that went from the right flank back to the left saw a fine passing move with Sebastien Chabal passing to Julien Malzieu who offloaded to Harinordoquy, who touched down. Lionel Beauxis converted to make it 7-3.

The Irish, though, pulled to within a point two minutes later as O'Gara punished another French infringement to convert a penalty in front of the posts.

Flamboyant French fullback Clement Poitrenaud was kept quiet by the Irish and he produced a huge error just before the half hour mark as he kicked from inside his half only for the ball to go over the deadball line allowing the hosts to have a scrum back where he had kicked from.

Ireland produced a flowing move of their own with young winger Luke Fitzgerald playing a leading role and once the ball got to Heaslip he burst through the French midfield, totally bemused Poitrenaud and scored a superb try.

O'Gara converted to make it Ireland 13 France 7.

France came back at Ireland with Chabal producing one of his trademark rampaging runs which took him from his own half well into Ireland's 22 but his hard work was ruined as Dusautoir knocked on.

Beauxis pulled the French back to within three points of Ireland right on the whistle with a drop goal to make it 13-10 at half-time.

The Irish came out fired up in the second-half and scored a great try as O'Driscoll broke through Beauxis's tackle and sent Malzieu the wrong way to touch down. O'Gara converted to make it 20-10.

France came storming back as Harinordoquy made a break down the middle and, once the ball was fed out, Beauxis produced a sublime kick behind the Irish defence and Medard sprinted onto the ball to touch down.

Beauxis was unable to convert but he did reduce the deficit in the 54th minute as he put over his second drop goal to pull France to within two points of Ireland.

Ireland grabbed their third try with 14 minutes remaining.

After sustained pressure, D'Arcy broke through Dusautoir's tackle and forced his way over the line with O'Gara converting for 27-18.

Beauxis reduced the hosts lead with three minutes remaining with a penalty but the sublime O'Gara restored the nine point advantage a minute later with a penalty of his own.