History of rugby union matches between France and Ireland

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Since 1909, France and Ireland have played each other in a total of 105 test matches, with France winning 61 times, Ireland winning 37 times and seven matches drawn.[1]

Apart from fixtures played in the Five Nations / Six Nations Championship competitions, four games have been played at the Rugby World Cup in 1995, 2003, 2007 and 2015, in which France were victorious in the first three and Ireland in the last one in 2015. The sides have also met on four other occasions outside the Five Nations / Six Nations Championship: in 1909 (the first match between the two teams), a one-off match in 1972 and two Rugby World Cup warm-up matches in 2011.

Ireland have had a notoriously poor record in France since the end of the Second World War, only winning there thrice between 1945 and 2000 (in 1948, 1952 and 1972), and only four times since 2000. In recent years, France have found wins in Dublin almost as difficult; it is one of the Six Nations fixtures with the most distinctive records of home advantage winning out.

As of 2026, the winner of the annual Six Nations Championship matches between France and Ireland in both the men's and women's versions will be awarded a rivalry trophy, the Solidarity Trophy/Tropheé Solidaritaire. France are the current holders of the men's trophy having won the inaugural edition of the new competition 36–14 in Paris.

In the World Cup, the teams have played each other on four occasions, 1995, 2003, 2007 and 2015, with France winning on 3 occasions and Ireland winning once; there have been no draws. In these games, France have scored 113 points, and Ireland 60.

In the Five Nations (1910–1931 and 1947–1999), Ireland played France on 70 occasions, Ireland winning 23, France 42 and five matches have been drawn.

In the Six Nations (2000–present), Ireland have played France on 27 occasions, Ireland winning 11, France 14 and two matches have been drawn.

In other test matches, Ireland have played France on four other occasions, in 1909, 1972 and twice in 2011, with two wins apiece.

Summary

Note: Summary below reflects test results by both teams.[1]

Overview

Details Played Won by
France		 Won by
Ireland		 Drawn France points Ireland points
In France 51 36 13 2 979 574
In Ireland 51 23 23 5 690 719
Neutral venue 3 2 1 0 88 57
Overall 105 61 37 7 1,757 1,350

Results

No. Date Venue Score Winner Competition Attendance Ref.
1 20 March 1909 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 19–8  Ireland 1909 France tour of Ireland 7,000 [2]
2 28 March 1910 Parc des Princes, Paris 3–8  Ireland 1910 Five Nations Championship 10,000 [3]
3 25 March 1911 Mardyke, Cork 25–5  Ireland 1911 Five Nations Championship 25,000 [4]
4 1 January 1912 Parc des Princes, Paris 6–11  Ireland 1912 Five Nations Championship 18,000 [5]
5 24 March 1913 Mardyke, Cork 24–0  Ireland 1913 Five Nations Championship 6,000 [6]
6 1 January 1914 Parc des Princes, Paris 6–8  Ireland 1914 Five Nations Championship 25,000 [7]
7 3 April 1920 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 7–15  France 1920 Five Nations Championship 40,000 [8]
8 9 April 1921 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 20–10  France 1921 Five Nations Championship 35,000 [9]
9 8 April 1922 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 8–3  Ireland 1922 Five Nations Championship 40,000 [10]
10 14 April 1923 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 14–8  France 1923 Five Nations Championship 20,000 [11]
11 26 January 1924 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 6–0  Ireland 1924 Five Nations Championship 20,000 [12]
12 1 January 1925 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 3–9  Ireland 1925 Five Nations Championship 35,000 [13]
13 1 January 1926 Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast 11–0  Ireland 1926 Five Nations Championship 20,000 [14]
14 1 January 1927 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 3–8  Ireland 1927 Five Nations Championship 30,000 [15]
15 28 January 1928 Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast 12–8  Ireland 1928 Five Nations Championship 20,000 [16]
16 31 December 1928 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 0–6  Ireland 1929 Five Nations Championship 42,000 [17]
17 25 January 1930 Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast 0–5  France 1930 Five Nations Championship 25,000 [18]
18 1 January 1931 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 3–0  France 1931 Five Nations Championship 28,000 [19]
19 25 January 1947 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 8–12  France 1947 Five Nations Championship N/a [20]
20 1 January 1948 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 6–13  Ireland 1948 Five Nations Championship 25,000 [21]
21 29 January 1949 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 9–16  France 1949 Five Nations Championship 35,000 [22]
22 28 January 1950 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 3–3 draw 1950 Five Nations Championship 35,000 [23]
23 27 January 1951 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 9–8  Ireland 1951 Five Nations Championship 45,000 [24]
24 26 January 1952 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 8–11  Ireland 1952 Five Nations Championship 38,830 [25]
25 24 January 1953 Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast 16–3  Ireland 1953 Five Nations Championship 38,000 [26]
26 23 January 1954 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 8–0  France 1954 Five Nations Championship 29,391 [27]
27 22 January 1955 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 3–5  France 1955 Five Nations Championship 45,000 [28]
28 28 January 1956 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 14–8  France 1956 Five Nations Championship 26,054 [29]
29 26 January 1957 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 11–6  Ireland 1957 Five Nations Championship 45,000 [30]
30 19 April 1958 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 11–6  France 1958 Five Nations Championship 25,043 [31]
31 18 April 1959 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 9–5  Ireland 1959 Five Nations Championship 40,000 [32]
32 9 April 1960 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 23–6  France 1960 Five Nations Championship 30,700 [33]
33 15 April 1961 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 3–15  France 1961 Five Nations Championship 50,000 [34]
34 14 April 1962 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 11–0  France 1962 Five Nations Championship 28,318 [35]
35 26 January 1963 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 5–24  France 1963 Five Nations Championship 30,000 [36]
36 11 April 1964 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 27–6  France 1964 Five Nations Championship 21,640 [37]
37 23 January 1965 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 3–3 draw 1965 Five Nations Championship 55,000 [38]
38 29 January 1966 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 11–6  France 1966 Five Nations Championship 30,947 [39]
39 15 April 1967 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 6–11  France 1967 Five Nations Championship 50,000 [40]
40 27 January 1968 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 16–6  France 1968 Five Nations Championship 28,148 [41]
41 25 January 1969 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 17–9  Ireland 1969 Five Nations Championship 50,000 [42]
42 24 January 1970 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 8–0  France 1970 Five Nations Championship 35,915 [43]
43 30 January 1971 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 9–9 draw 1971 Five Nations Championship 55,000 [44]
44 29 January 1972 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 9–14  Ireland 1972 Five Nations Championship 26,939 [45]
45 29 April 1972 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 24–14  Ireland Spring International[a] 35,000 [47]
46 14 April 1973 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 6–4  Ireland 1973 Five Nations Championship 50,000 [48]
47 19 January 1974 Parc des Princes, Paris 9–6  France 1974 Five Nations Championship 43,694 [49]
48 1 March 1975 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 25–6  Ireland 1975 Five Nations Championship 50,000 [50]
49 7 February 1976 Parc des Princes, Paris 26–3  France 1976 Five Nations Championship 42,585 [51]
50 19 March 1977 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 6–15  France 1977 Five Nations Championship 50,000 [52]
51 18 February 1978 Parc des Princes, Paris 10–9  France 1978 Five Nations Championship 43,639 [53]
52 20 January 1979 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 9–9 draw 1979 Five Nations Championship 51,000 [54]
53 1 March 1980 Parc des Princes, Paris 19–18  France 1980 Five Nations Championship 45,239 [55]
54 7 February 1981 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 13–19  France 1981 Five Nations Championship 51,000 [56]
55 20 March 1982 Parc des Princes, Paris 22–9  France 1982 Five Nations Championship 45,238 [57]
56 19 February 1983 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 22–16  Ireland 1983 Five Nations Championship 50,000 [58]
57 21 January 1984 Parc des Princes, Paris 25–12  France 1984 Five Nations Championship 45,023 [59]
58 2 March 1985 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 15–15 draw 1985 Five Nations Championship 56,000 [60]
59 1 February 1986 Parc des Princes, Paris 29–9  France 1986 Five Nations Championship 49,238 [61]
60 21 March 1987 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 13–19  France 1987 Five Nations Championship 53,000 [62][63][64]
61 20 February 1988 Parc des Princes, Paris 25–6  France 1988 Five Nations Championship 49,130 [65][66][67]
62 21 January 1989 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 21–26  France 1989 Five Nations Championship 52,000 [68][69][70][71]
63 3 March 1990 Parc des Princes, Paris 31–12  France 1990 Five Nations Championship 45,077 [72]
64 2 February 1991 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 13–21  France 1991 Five Nations Championship 50,000 [73]
65 21 March 1992 Parc des Princes, Paris 44–12  France 1992 Five Nations Championship 49,317 [74]
66 20 February 1993 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 6–21  France 1993 Five Nations Championship 60,000 [75]
67 15 January 1994 Parc des Princes, Paris 35–15  France 1994 Five Nations Championship N/a [76]
68 4 March 1995 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 7–25  France 1995 Five Nations Championship N/a [77][78]
69 10 June 1995 Kings Park Stadium, Durban (South Africa) 36–12  France 1995 Rugby World Cup 20,000 [79]
70 17 February 1996 Parc des Princes, Paris 45–10  France 1996 Five Nations Championship 45,122 [80]
71 18 January 1997 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 15–32  France 1997 Five Nations Championship 53,000 [81]
72 7 March 1998 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 18–16  France 1998 Five Nations Championship 78,000 [82][83]
73 6 February 1999 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 9–10  France 1999 Five Nations Championship 49,000 [84][85]
74 19 March 2000 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 25–27  Ireland 2000 Six Nations Championship 78,500 [86][87][88]
75 17 February 2001 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 22–15  Ireland 2001 Six Nations Championship 47,500 [89][90]
76 6 April 2002 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 44–5  France 2002 Six Nations Championship 79,978 [91][92]
77 8 March 2003 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 15–12  Ireland 2003 Six Nations Championship 47,500 [93][94][95]
78 9 November 2003 Docklands Stadium, Melbourne (Australia) 43–21  France 2003 Rugby World Cup 33,134 [96][97]
79 14 February 2004 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 35–17  France 2004 Six Nations Championship 79,547 [98][99]
80 12 March 2005 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 19–26  France 2005 Six Nations Championship 49,250 [100][101]
81 11 February 2006 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 43–31  France 2006 Six Nations Championship 79,939 [102][103]
82 11 February 2007 Croke Park, Dublin 17–20  France 2007 Six Nations Championship 81,572 [104][105]
83 21 September 2007 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 25–3  France 2007 Rugby World Cup 80,267 [106][107]
84 9 February 2008 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 26–21  France 2008 Six Nations Championship 79,270 [108][109]
85 7 February 2009 Croke Park, Dublin 30–21  Ireland 2009 Six Nations Championship 82,000 [110][111][112]
86 13 February 2010 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 33–10  France 2010 Six Nations Championship 80,000 [113][114]
87 13 February 2011 Aviva Stadium, Dublin 22–25  France 2011 Six Nations Championship 51,700 [115][116]
88 13 August 2011 Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux 19–12  France 2011 Rugby World Cup warm-up match 32,653 [117][118]
89 20 August 2011 Aviva Stadium, Dublin 22–26  France 45,165 [119][120]
90 4 March 2012 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 17–17 draw 2012 Six Nations Championship 79,600 [121][122]
91 9 March 2013 Aviva Stadium, Dublin 13–13 draw 2013 Six Nations Championship 51,000 [123][124]
92 15 March 2014 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 20–22  Ireland 2014 Six Nations Championship 80,000 [125][126]
93 14 February 2015 Aviva Stadium, Dublin 18–11  Ireland 2015 Six Nations Championship 51,200 [127][128][129][130]
94 11 October 2015 Millennium Stadium, Cardiff (Wales) 9–24  Ireland 2015 Rugby World Cup 72,163 [131][132]
95 13 February 2016 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 10–9  France 2016 Six Nations Championship 77,775 [133][134][135]
96 25 February 2017 Aviva Stadium, Dublin 19–9  Ireland 2017 Six Nations Championship 51,700 [136][137]
97 3 February 2018 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 13–15  Ireland 2018 Six Nations Championship 74,878 [138][139]
98 10 March 2019 Aviva Stadium, Dublin 26–14  Ireland 2019 Six Nations Championship 51,000 [140][141][142]
99 31 October 2020 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 35–27  France 2020 Six Nations Championship 0* [143][144]
100 14 February 2021 Aviva Stadium, Dublin 13–15  France 2021 Six Nations Championship 0* [145][146][147]
101 12 February 2022 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 30–24  France 2022 Six Nations Championship 80,000 [148][149][150]
102 11 February 2023 Aviva Stadium, Dublin 32–19  Ireland 2023 Six Nations Championship 51,700 [151]
103 2 February 2024 Stade Vélodrome, Marseille 17–38  Ireland 2024 Six Nations Championship 65,000 [152]
104 8 March 2025 Aviva Stadium, Dublin 27–42  France 2025 Six Nations Championship 51,700 [153][154]
105 5 February 2026 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 36–14  France 2026 Six Nations Championship 80,000 [155]

Results by Decade

Decade France Ireland Drawn Series winner
1900s 0 1 0  Ireland
1910s 0 5 0  Ireland
1920s 3 7 0  Ireland
1930s 2 0 0  France
1940s 2 1 0  France
1950s 4 5 1  Ireland
1960s 8 1 1  France
1970s 5 4 2  France
1980s 8 1 1  France
1990s 11 0 0  France
2000s 8 4 0  France
2010s 5 6 2  Ireland
2020s 5 2 0  France

XV Results

Below is a list of matches that France has awarded matches test match status by virtue of awarding caps, but Ireland did not award caps.

Date Venue Score Winner Competition Attendance Ref.
26 January 1946 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 3–4  France Victory International 40,000 [156]
14 May 1988 Stade Jaques-Fouroux, Auch 18–19  Ireland XV 1988 Ireland XV tour of France N/a N/a
18 May 1988 Stade du Moustoir, Lorient 12–7  France N/a N/a

Gallery

Notes

References

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