Ireland v France predictions and Six Nations rugby union tips

Free rugby tips, best bets and analysis for Ireland v France in the Six Nations on Sunday.

Where to watch

ITV & Virgin Media, 3pm Sunday

Best bet

France -4
2pts Evs Hills

Match preview

Ireland fans must have thought they'd had their fill of bad luck against Wales in round one, but things have got a lot worse since then.

Having gone off as four-point favourites in Cardiff, Ireland were reduced to 14 men on 15 minutes when flanker Peter O'Mahony was sent off. Even then they were presented with a chance to steal a win in the last minute but Billy Burns, entrusted with a penalty kick to the corner, over-hit it and put the ball dead.

It was chalked up as a brave effort in difficult circumstances and there was no reason to press the panic button before the visit of new tournament favourites France.

But then Friday's team announcement revealed that fly-half Jonathan Sexton is not over a head injury while scrum-half Conor Murray is out with a hamstring problem, and suddenly Ireland look vulnerable.

That half-back combination - a British & Irish Lions pairing - has been the bedrock of Ireland's success over the years, starting all but one match together in the title-winning campaigns of 2014, 2015 and 2018.

Having such a long-standing partnership has been a great benefit for Ireland but it also means their back-up players lack experience and there's only a small pool of the four Irish provinces to select from.

Leinster's Jamison Gibson-Park starts at nine - his six caps include just two starts, the last of which was an unconvincing performance against England at Twickenham last October.

Ulster's Burns gets the nod at fly-half for his fifth cap and only his second start - the first was against Georgia in the Autumn Nations Cup.

Forecast wet and windy conditions would have played right into the hands of Murray and Sexton, whose aerial kicking game could have put the French back three under pressure, but the conditions now present a challenge to the new half-back duo.

France are also without first-choice fly-half Romain Ntamack but their far greater depth allows them to field the talented Matthieu Jalibert who has looked every inch a Test player and lines up alongside Antoine Dupont, widely touted as the best scrum-half in the world.

Punters who want to get with Ireland have history on their side. A handicap start in Dublin is a rarity - Andy Farrell's men are given five points - but whether as favourites or underdogs the Irish have rewarded their handicap backers in 17 of their last 22 Six Nations home matches. And France don't travel well - their tally of six away victories in their last 22 tournament trips includes four wins in Italy.

But in the here and now it looks an uphill struggle for Ireland, who are also without the suspended O'Mahony and look short of leadership on the pitch.

This is the chance for France to prove their new standing as a structured and well-marshalled team and they can cover a four-point line against the depleted hosts.

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