# History of rugby union matches between France and Ireland

Since 1909, France and Ireland have played each other in a total of 104 test matches, with France winning 60 times, Ireland winning 37 times and seven matches drawn.
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 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 record of home advantage winning out.

## Breakdown

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 26 occasions, Ireland winning 11, France 13 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.

### Overview

| Details | Played | Won by France | Won by Ireland | Drawn | France points | Ireland points |
| In France | 50 | 35 | 13 | 2 | 943 | 562 |
| In Ireland | 51 | 23 | 23 | 5 | 690 | 719 |
| Neutral venue | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 88 | 57 |
| Overall | 104 | 60 | 37 | 7 | 1,721 | 1,338 |

## Results

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

## 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 | 4 | 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 | |
| 14 May 1988 | Stade Jaques-Fouroux, Auch | 18–19 | Ireland XV | 1988 Ireland XV tour of France | — | — |
| 18 May 1988 | Stade du Moustoir, Lorient | 12–7 | France | 1988 Ireland XV tour of France | — | — |

## Gallery

| The Ireland team which played France for the first time, beating them 19–8, Ireland's biggest victory in international rugby at that time. | The French team which faced Ireland in the 1914 Five Nations Championship. | Ireland and France during the 2006 Six Nations. | France claim a lineout during their 2014 Six Nations matchup with Ireland. |