Irish commnentator on the Beeb was just saying that there "nothing between the teams really". I beg to differ.

France look very very good today.

Darcy, it should not be level. It should be 15-14. As in the number of players per side on the pitch.

France by 15 points – I reckon

chortle…. 😆

That was a penalty, as awarded! Nothing dangerous or malicious in it….Unlike Flannery! If the TJ saw it (not our TJ, of course!) then it should have been a yellow. No quibble about it.

Holding in the ruck? Well, it's part of the game. Get caught, give away a penalty.

Shoulda, coulda, woulda… 😉

So, how long until your next Slam? After all, you did have to wait a while for the last one! 😉

Watching Flannery's tackle again it's far, far worse.

Still, here's hoping for the second half! France look very strong, but still beatable.

At least until an hour's time, we're still in with a chance Flashy…which is more than can be said for your lot. There's still time to congratulate us on the other one. I don't think you were able to bring yourself to do it last year.

The 'Raging Potato' looks more like frozen chips!

Jeebus, France piling even more pressure. You know they're playing well when the SdF crowd start singing.

Oh dear…this is getting painful.

forward pass

Oh well, that was what i'd call a beating…to say the least. France were outstanding…everywhere, but their defence was awesome. Ireland didn't help themselves by dropping the ball all over the park, but even if they'd held on to it, they'd still have lost. France knew they were facing the best the home nations have to offer, and they chewed us up.

Oh well, just the triple crown left…pah!

I guess, if we have to be second best in the NH this year, I don't mind being second best to those boys.

I think the only chance of beating them now is to play a very negative game & try to frustrate them enough into giving points away

News of Thom Evans

The 24-year-old Glasgow player was carried from the Millennium Stadium pitch on a stretcher following lengthy treatment in the first half.

Scotland head coach Andy Robinson revealed: "He is currently in hospital with a back injury and we think it is very serious.

"It is a big concern at the moment. Thom's parents are with him."

I hope he's OK. Never want to hear of bad injuries like this.

Aye Flashy…I'm only winding you up really…we're all second best behind that display today and given what France showed, on sober reflection, it was still a drubbing. It's hard to find any positives in the game for Ireland. I guess that even when it looked like France were going to win (that would have been towards the end of the first half), Ireland still played running rugby, still tried to put phases together and didn't kick every ball that came their way. But for the brilliant French defense, Ireland could have scored more tries and probably would have against a weaker side. And ah, but for the bounce of an oval ball….D'arcy may well have had that try early in the game and quietened the crowd down. Actually was it just me, or could he have waited another split second before kicking over the full back…would have given him that extra yard of decision making in the run for the line…ifs and buts don't score tries though.

Whatever about Healy's yellow card…Ireland looked like they were going to ride it out and maybe get away with three points. They were given a penalty for a deliberate knock-on and then Flannery had his moment of madness – the penalty was reversed, Ireland went from the front foot onto the back, and the whole shebang resulted in France's first try. It was around then that the Matthew said there was nothing between the sides, and up till then, there wasn't. As ever, tackles look worse in slow motion but I reckon a wendyballer would have been sent off for that. He should be cited and punished…thankfully, we're not short of hookers.

You can't simply walk away heads down…as Wales showed today. And hey, they lifted their spirits a little int he second half and at least did cross the line.

Like I said, a quality game between the best two sides in the 6N 😛

"Thom Evans has sustained damage to his neck that has required surgery."

"He is moving his arms and legs and we are hoping for a speedy recovery."

Great news, hope he continues to make a full recovery.

First of all – looks like good news on Thom Evans. Got to be the most important thing!

France look great. They beat (or at least matched) Ireland in every facet of the game. They will probably have a bad game at some point (they generally do!). That aside I cannot see them not getting a Grand Slam!

Thom Evans, Chris Patterson and Rory Lamont out for the rest of the 6N at least.

Bu66er. Scotland just don't have the strength in depth to afford that attritional rate. We looked good with the first choice backs.I don't think I have ever been so fed up after a game.

Looks like Evans will be OK which is good news

I have no issue with the restart. However the ball should have gone straight into the stand – and it would have been game over – there is precedent – Neil Jenkins against south africa for one and other cases. You do not continue after time is up iunless its a penalty, freekick or mark and none of those would have applied.

But he didn't – what the player asked was " is there time to kick to touch" which there was. There wasn't time to take the lineout.