France 25 Ireland 3

Ireland were left on the brink of a World Cup group exit after Jean-Baptiste Elissalde booted France to within touching distance of the quarter-finals.

Vincent Clerc ran in two tries but it was the kicking of Elissalde that laid the foundations for victory with the scrum-half landing five penalties.

A drop goal from Ronan O'Gara was Ireland's solitary response and by the end of a disappointing contest, Eddie O'Sullivan's side had once again been reduced to a rabble.

While O'Sullivan dubiously blamed huge error counts for the lamentable victories over Namibia and Georgia, there was no escaping the simple truth that they are just not good enough.

Stronger, faster and more aggressive - France blew their rivals away with a display that healed the scars of a disastrous curtain raiser against Argentina.

French Rugby Federation president Bernard Lapasset had billed the match as the most important in the nation's history but there was no hint of stage fright from Les Bleus this time.

Ireland's commitment kept them in touch until Clerc's opening try in the 59th minute but they possessed little else to trouble the hosts, who could yet top the group.

They were one-dimensional in attack, resorting to the kick-and-hope tactics that served Argentina so well two weeks ago, and their backline made little impression. When France cranked up the pressure they had no answer and by the end of the contest looked a weary, confused team that has been together too long.