With the Six Nations commanding talk for many of us, things are no doubt starting to feel a little heated as fans start looking ahead to the final overall winner of the 2025 season. Given this, each match is starting to feel more and more meaningful – and, with France recently dropping form to lose their last match, their upcoming game against Ireland (who are perhaps their biggest contender this year) is feeling more crucial than ever.
This begs the question: with their recent loss, will Ireland be able to beat the French team to retain their position in first place, or will the French be able to claw their performance back? Well, we’re delving into the stats, performance, and odds for each team to help answer this key question. But, of course, there’s always room for surprises – so, to a degree, only time will tell.
Why Did France Lose Their Last Six Nations Match?
Before we look at whether the Ireland team is likely to beat France in their upcoming match, it’s worth us mentioning briefly why France lost their previous game.
The exact answer to this perhaps isn’t clear, but fans and sports professionals alike have dubbed the main reasons to simply be the team’s dangerous game and lack of care and consistency, the BBC even going so far as to describe their handling as “criminally – and crucially – casual.” So, perhaps this simply goes to show that France allowed themselves to be a little too careless in their performance, contributing to England’s chance to clinch the win.
Now, losing to England was no doubt a huge blow to France, given England’s appalling recent form. Indeed, having lost six of their seven previous tests, England wasn’t exactly looking like much of a contender; however, three late-game tries would see them rocket to the win.
Could Ireland Beat France in Their Upcoming Match?
With that in mind, the big question still arises: could Ireland beat France in their upcoming match? Well, this isn’t an easy question to answer. No doubt, after the devastating loss to England, France will likely have received something of a shock; this may make them more aggressive, which could actually strengthen their position. With that being said, their sloppy performance has also no doubt lost them a lot of confidence from punters and bookies alike.
At present, the odds on who will win are marginally in favour of Ireland with most bookies, but the difference is so minor that it’s not really something to bank on. For example, BoyleSports are currently offering odds of 7/10 (1.7) for Ireland and 21/20 (2.05) for France. Meanwhile, BetVictor is only marginally more generous, giving odds of 8/11 (1.73) for Ireland and 11/10 (2.1) for France. So, there really is all to play for – but Ireland undoubtedly has a great opportunity to prove themselves with their 8th March match against France.
Final Thoughts
Following France’s recent defeat, things are definitely looking positive for Ireland, who are currently sitting comfortably at the top of the scores for the 2025 Six Nations. However, the current odds from the bookies aren’t looking particularly confident either way, and, while Ireland is currently the favourite to win with most bookies, this is far from a guarantee, with France’s odds falling only marginally behind. So, it’s still all to play for – but no doubt that many Ireland supporters will be feeling especially invigorated by the recent turn of events.