Anna Caplice
Former Ireland international on BBC iPlayer

I have to say the crowd tonight have played their part. They've really got into it.

Ireland steal the lineout but run into Charlotte Escudero again on the defensive 22 and France win a penalty.

Anna Caplice
Former Ireland international on BBC iPlayer

Oh my goodness. This is heart-stopping stuff.

Image source, Getty Images

More breathless French attacking but Ireland hold on. A superb flat pass from Pauline Barrat puts Aubane Rousset away down the left but she is tackled into touch by her opposite number Aoife Dalton.

It's Ireland's turn to win a ruck penalty thanks to Erin King. A really enjoyable few minutes for the back row savants.

Charlotte Escudero was introduced at half time and it immediately pays dividends with a big turnover penalty at the 22.

France are now up over halfway after the penalty.

Dannah O'Brien's boot wins the kicking battle again as the visitors win the lineout at the 22.

Can they make the most of it here?

Anna Caplice
Former Ireland international on BBC iPlayer

What a first half we were treated to. I think Ireland will be frustrated they're not up on the scoreboard but they can't be sulking. They've got to go again. They can't stop at 40. They need to put in an 80-minute performance.

Image source, Getty Images

Lindsay Peat
Former Ireland forward on BBC iPlayer

Dannah O'Brien plays what's in front of her. That's definitely a difference I've seen today. That's good for a new player. She's playing like a general. She's playing what she sees in front of her.

Back underway at the Stade Marcel Michelin as Ireland kick off playing left to right.

Edel McMahon
Ireland flanker on BBC iPlayer

It's just about getting those five points. We've played all the rugby. We've all the possession. It's just getting scores on the board now.

Edel McMahon
Ireland flanker on BBC iPlayer

Our ability to retain possession... I've been so impressed by our whole pack. The scrum's been so solid. Our line-out is a go-to. You can see how comfortable Dannah O'Brien is. When we get those penalties, we're getting unbelievable turnovers from the likes of Moloney-MacDonald, from Wafer, and at pivotal moments in the game as well. Dannah's very comfortable to go to the corner knowing that our line-out and the maul is working really well.

Lindsay Peat
Former Ireland forward on BBC iPlayer

Listen, I think we can all say we're happy for the break to take a bit of a rest, because my heart's going through my chest. But what a half of rugby, especially from those in the green jerseys. It has been an unbelievable performance.

They stuck to their gameplan. They brought the tenacity and aggression to France, they went through their phases, and we knew that if they were going to give this French team a rattle, they had to keep the ball and go on the front foot. They have been absolutely brilliant.

And the only thing missing is the fact that the scoreboard isn't showing an advantage. They've been so unlucky.

Image source, Inpho

King's journey to the Women's Six Nations was not conventional.

Born in Australia to English parents, she moved around the world a lot when she was young.

A kid full of energy, she was introduced to rugby at a young age - so young in fact there is a photo of her outside the stadium at the Rugby World Cup final in 2003 in Sydney, when she was just a few weeks old.

The Irish connection came from her grandfather and, after living in Dubai, she moved to Wicklow as she started secondary school.

Reflecting on that time in her life, King said rugby became "the one constant".

"That's why I really enjoyed it because everything else was changing, like school and where I was living," King said.

"Wherever I've lived around the world, I've always been really accepted into rugby clubs and that's where I made friends."

After starting at Naas Rugby Club when she moved to Ireland, where she got told she was "too aggressive" as she played with girls for the first time, her love for the sport grew.

But it was not until the Covid-19 pandemic that she decided she wanted to make it her career.

King's time in green only started through Rugby Sevens, which she says played a "massive part" of her journey as she featured at the Paris Olympics as a 20-year-old.

"It really normalised getting to play in big stadiums in front of loads of people and there's a lot of pressure in Sevens.

"If you make one mistake and it's a try. It's probably a blessing now that I got thrown into the deep end like that."

Image source, Inpho

From being told she might not ever run again to taking the Ireland captaincy at 22, it has been a whirlwind 12 months for Erin King.

She had just returned from a year-long knee injury when she got called into Ireland head coach Scott Bemand's office.

Initially she thought she was in trouble, but the question could not have been further from that as Bemand asked her to lead Ireland into the Six Nations.

After a career-threatening injury, it was a huge show of faith to a player who only had six caps to her name.

"I'm not normally speechless, but I was a little bit speechless in that moment," King told the Ireland Rugby Social podcast.

"I was immensely proud and it was an absolute privilege and honour to get to be asked to captain such an amazing team.

"I already felt like I was living a dream, getting to play alongside these legends, but to lead them out is just beyond my wildest dreams."

BBC Sounds

You can listen to the Ireland Rugby Social on BBC Sounds.

Later on, Ireland international Edel McMahon, who is recovering from injury, will join Lindsay Peat and Gavin Andrews to look back on tonight's game.

You'll be able to catch it on BBC Sounds, so check it out!