Paris

With Farrell rolling the dice in his selection – dropping James Lowe as well as giving Cian Prendergast a rare start – there were interesting subplots aplenty as the game neared.

Such was the nature of the Paris performance, however, that few such themes could be given fair scrutiny.

Ireland had picked a team to compete in the air but rarely challenged in that regard with the new-look back three of Jamie Osborne, Tommy O’Brien and Jacob Stockdale largely on the periphery.

While the loss of both usual starting props to injury, as well as two back-ups on the loose-head side, was unwanted, it gave the opportunity for others to step up and show what they can do, yet the set-piece was rendered a virtual non-factor.

Indeed, Ireland won a scrum penalty in the 45th minute but, such was the lack of pressure elsewhere, it was the first time Les Bleus had drawn a whistle from Karl Dickson.

Discipline had been a key area to improve after the autumn but, while Ireland did concede only six penalties, with 38 missed tackles across the game they frequently did not get close enough to infringe either.

Ireland’s failure to get to grips with the non-negotiables – what Farrell called the “main part of the game” – left little point in sifting through much else.

“I think you make your own luck in this game,” said Farrell.

“Without the ball, I thought we lost that battle in the first half. The things like the high ball and winning the scraps on the floor, running through tackles or missing tackles etc – that’s the main part of the game.

“We certainly came off second best in that regard in the first half. Our response was gallant, but that’s not what we want to be, we don’t want to be a responding team. We needed to show it from the get go.”

MARGOT Robbie sparkles again at a Wuthering Heights premiere — with a diamond necklace and matching ring.

She wore a red Chanel velvet ballgown in Paris, then changed into a black corset dress for the after-party.

Last week Margot, 35, wore a £6million necklace for the Hollywood launch.

Tomorrow she and co-star Jacob Elordi, 28, attend the UK premiere in London’s Leicester Square.

Margot last week made her Wuthering Heights co-star Jacob weak at the knees in a “breathtaking” black corset.

Leading man Jacob said the ­uplifting black number was “an absolute banger” and described it as “devastating”.

HEART ATACK

Emily Atack strips down to lacy lingerie and corset to pose on a TRACTOR

star spot

Matt LeBlanc, 58, dresses down for shop run after return to TV for SuperBowl ad

The 28-year-old Australian plays Heathcliff opposite Margot’s Cathy in the upcoming film adaptation of Emily Bronte’s 1847 novel.

He even filled his married co-star’s dressing room with roses for Valentine’s Day while shooting the tragic love story.

His fellow Aussie Margot, who posed in a minidress for the ­latest cover of Vogue Australia, said she was bowled over by the romantic gesture — despite having only had her first son with husband Tom Ackerley, 35, four months earlier.

Interviewing each other for the magazine, Margot said: “You made my day and, as Heathcliff, filled my room with roses. It was so cute.

“I remember thinking on Valentine’s Day, ‘Oh he’s probably a very good boyfriend, ’cause there’s a lot of thoughtfulness in this’.

“You did a lot of very thoughtful things — it wasn’t just the gesture of the roses.”

Prop Jeremy Loughman will make his first Ireland appearance in two years against France in the opening game of the 2026 Six Nations on Thursday, but there is no place in the starting team for James Lowe, James Ryan or Tadhg Furlong.

With Ireland’s three first-choice loose-heads, Andrew Porter, Paddy McCarthy and Jack Boyle, all missing through injury for the game at the Stade de France (20:10 GMT), the 30-year-old Loughman will play at Test level for the first time since the Six Nations of 2024 and make his first international start since November 2022.

Loughman’s Munster team-mate Michael Milne, who won his only two previous caps against Georgia and Portugal in July, will be the loose-head back-up on the bench.

With Hugo Keenan missing because of the fractured hand he sustained in training last week, Jamie Osborne starts at full-back in what will be his first action since Ireland faced Japan in November.

Osborne had been expected to be in a straight shootout for the 15 jersey with Jacob Stockdale, but the Ulster player instead takes the place usually occupied by James Lowe on the left wing.

The exclusion of British and Irish Lion Lowe is not the only big call made by head coach Andy Farrell, with Connacht’s Cian Prendergast wearing six in the absence of Ryan Baird.

With Tadhg Beirne, who was another option to start at blind-side, joining Joe McCarthy in the second row, that means there is no place in the starting line-up for James Ryan who is one of six forwards on the bench.