Rugby World Cup 2015: France’s revival a concern for Ireland in Pool D

Irish hopes that Pool D would be easy have been jolted by a French resurgence – their meeting at the Millennium Stadium could be a classicDoddle. Well, it would be for Ireland had France not suddenly – in Paris against England – rediscovered a togetherness that had not been in evidence since the World Cup final of 2011. Nor will it have helped Ireland’s composure to lose to Wales in Dublin a week later. That may have sparked a few reminders of Ireland’s strangely woeful record at the World Cup. Even so, Ireland under Joe Schmidt are serious contenders in any competition and a pool containing F…