Ireland hosted France on the penultimate weekend of the Six Nations.
Both side's have endured poor starts to the campaign, with the French yet to win a match in the competition going into the clash.
France were desperate for a win to try to climb off the bottom of the table, while Ireland wanted to put some late pressure on the leaders.
Both sides were forced to settle for just a point as France launched a late fightback to earn a draw at the Aviva Stadium.
Read how it all unfolded with our live commentary below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's second match of our live coverage from the Six Nations as Ireland host France.
Both these sides have endured miserable campaigns so far, and neither would be expected to be scrapping it out at the bottom of the table.
This match was highlighted before the tournament as a potential title-deciding match. Now, these teams are battling to try to avoid picking up the wooden spoon.
Ireland have lost back-to-back 6N games for the first time since 2008. They last lost three in a row in 1998. While France have never won the wooden spoon in the Six Nations but were the last team to pick it up in the final Five Nations campaign back in 1999.
Last year's clash between the two sides was the first match in 25 years to be rearranged due to the weather, and the conditions are not too much better out there today.
The odds are up against Ireland, who have only beaten France once in their last 13 meetings.
Who wants team news? Well you're in luck.
IRELAND XV: Kearney; McFadden, O'Driscoll, Marshall, Earls; Jackson, Murray; Healy, Best, Ross, McCarthy, Ryan, O'Mahony, O'Brien, Heaslip
So Ireland's top-appearance player Ronan O'Gara is axed by Declan Kidney, it is Jamie Heaslip who retains the captain's armband.
FRANCE XV: Huget, Clerc, Fritz, Fofana, Medard, Michalak, Parra; Domingo, Kayser, Mas, Samson, Maestri, Nyanga, Dusautoir, Picamoles.
10 minutes to go.
Right, here are the replacements...
The two sides are out and ready for the national anthems, by the way.
IRELAND REPLACEMENTS: Cronin, Kilcoyne, Archer, O’Callaghan, Henderson, Reddan, Madigan, Fitzgerald
FRANCE REPLACEMENTS: Guirado, Debaty, Ducalcon, Vahaamahina, Claassen, Machenaud, Trinh-Duc, Bastareaud.
Just to be clear; the weather is absolutely atrocious.
And there we are, two terrific anthems.
The tracksuit tops are off for both sides, I cannot imagine they will be too happy with that.
Is this Brian O'Driscoll's last home game for Ireland? That remains to be seen.
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Either way, he is a total legend in the game.
Off we go, France get proceedings underway!
Ireland are immediately awarded the lineout, which they win before blasting the ball forward.
Rory Best is already towelling down the ball ahead of this lineout, could be a lot of that during this match.
Ireland taking their time over these lineouts, but they are working early on. The pressure is on France here, and the panic is clear as they just slam the ball away. Another attacking lineout for Rory Best and the hosts.
Ireland's attack is well dealt with by the French, who hold their own and win the penalty. They opt to scrum it down.
We're preparing the third reset of the scrum now after the front row collapses. We've spent the last two minutes watching nothing.
Ireland's forwards didn't get down, so France are allowed the kick the ball into touch from the penalty.
Ireland get the crowd going with a well-won maul, before Brian O'Driscoll's chip through for Earls sees Morgan Parra have to clear to touch in his 22.
Ireland have another attacking lineout, just 5 metres from the try line.
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TRY! Ireland 5-0 France (Jamie Heaslip)
Brilliant try from Ireland, they win the ball from the lineout, set it, and just drive forward and show no mercy to the French. It's Heaslip who goes over following some great composure from the hosts. Top shunting!
CONVERSION SCORED! Ireland 7-0 France (Paddy Jackson)
Great kick in tough conditions from Jackson. It's a brilliant start from him and skipper Heaslip, and a perfect one for Ireland.
Ireland are well on top, but France have a chance to attack. Huget drops a simple catch deep inside his own half, much to the delight of the crowd, but his responding kick is superb and creates a nice chance for the French.
Les Bleus wint he resulting lineout, and have a chance to push for a try with this scrum.
Ireland collapse the scrum and it is a penalty to France.
PENALTY MISSED!
Frederic Michalak puts the kick wide, Ireland still lead by seven.
Parra tries to run out of the French 22 but Rob Kearney pressurises him to kick off balance.
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Ireland will restart the play with a scrum in the French 22.
Ireland penalised in the scrum, but have a lineout on their own 10 metre line.
Another top lineout from the Irish, and are allowed to make ground forward to win a penalty. Jackson will try this from about 40m out.
PENALTY MISSED!
Jackson pulls it just wide of the far post from a long way out. It was a difficult chance, and one that proved just too difficult for him.
France have the throw-in now after they opted to attack down the right. Clerc attempted a knock and run forward but he was thwarted early on.
Ireland win the ball back from a France attack. The handling error from Dusautoir results in an Ireland scrummage.
Ireland are punished, and France can score from this penalty.
PENALTY SCORE! Ireland 7-3 France (Frederic Michalak)
Steady run up from Michalak, but he stabs the ball between the posts to get the French up and running.
Ireland have won themselves a penalty from the ruck, great play from them. Jackson is lining this one up with a view to restore his side's seven-point advantage.
PENALTY SCORED! Ireland 10-3 France (Paddy Jackson)
For someone who isn't a regular kicker for his club, that was phenomenal kick from Jackson, who gets it perfectly between the posts from miles out.
Ireland on top once again, and force a brilliant turnover. They are given a penalty.
Chance for Jackson again, it's near enough in the same position to where he hit his last one from.
PENALTY SCORED! Ireland 13-3 France (Paddy Jackson)
It's a carbon copy of his last penalty as Jackson extends his side's lead to 10 points. Brilliant from him.
There is still a long way to go but France are in real danger of losing their fifth straight match. Ireland are dominant. A brilliant kick from Luke Marshall gives Ireland a very attacking lineout.
France win the ball from the lineout and have the chance to kick from a penalty, after a trip on Picamoles.
Bit of a surprise that no yellow card was awarded there to Ryan.
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Dusautoir has been all over the place for France, bailing them out on a number of occasions.
Fantastic move from Huget who runs forward to the halfway line before blasting a kick out of touch in the corner to result in an attacking lineout. Ireland's ball.
It's well defended Ireland. They win the lineout, drive forward with Best before Jackson dummies his man and knocks the ball into touch. Real confidence and composure from the 21-year-old.
The clock is ticking as we await half time. France have the chance to peg Ireland back slightly with this penalty. Not quite sure what it was given for.
Michalak will attempt the kick.
HALF TIME: Ireland 13-3 France
Michalak sends the kick wide as the first half is brought to an end, and it was a terrific 40 minutes for the hosts.
Ireland have been well on top. Heaslip's early try got them going, could by three good kicks from Jackson, including one conversion. They deserve the lead.
France will need to do far better in the second half, they are being absolutely out-smartened by the hosts.
The French are back out at the Aviva Stadium.
A huge roar cascades around the ground as the hosts jog back on to the field.
It is still hammering it down in Dublin.
Picamoles immediately drops the catch from the Ireland kick, and the hosts will take the resulting lineout.
McCarthy drops the ball while on the attack for Ireland as Fofana claims possession following the knock-on.
France fail to use the ball from the scrum, and awards the decision to Ireland. The resulting scrum ends up with the hosts being awarded a penalty.
So Jackson has the chance to make it a 13-point gap. He will have to convert this from a very long way out though. 42m roughly.
PENALTY MISSED!
The line was correct but the kick from Jackson was just short.
Rob Kearney produces a brilliant kick to peg France back to their own 22.
Sean O'Brien tries a tricky offload to Murray, who knocks on. Another good maul from Ireland.
Ireland pushing forward in this attack, the French are holding their own at the moment. In the end Kearney attempts a poor drop goal to gift possession back to France.
Ireland are awarded a scrum at the conclusion of a scrappy segment of play.
Mike Ross fails to stay down in the scrum and it's a penalty to France, which Parra will take, replacing Michalak.
PENALTY SCORED! Ireland 13-6 France (Morgan Parra)
Absolutely superb kick from Parra to get his penalty game off in style. Why didn't he take the others? France back in it.
France now look to have a bit of momentum on the go and look to attack from this scrum.
France now have a penalty on Ireland 10-metre line, Parra to step up and perhaps reduce the deficit to just four points. The kick will be taken right out on the left touchline.
PENALTY MISSED!
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It was a difficult kick for Parra, but he slips that one horribly wide to leave the score as it is.
Kearney's boot puts Ireland back in the French half. A France scrum is on the way.
A reset is required for that scrum. No penalty awarded.
Into the final 18 minutes of the match, if France could get a prompt score it would create a tense finish at the Aviva Stadium. Frankly, they don't look like doing that the way things are at the moment.
It continues to miserably pour in Dublin.
France are awarded the penalty, which Parra takes and brilliantly puts out of touch in the corner. Chance for the away side to attack now.
France's spell on the front foot is ended after they fail to release the ball from the ruck. Brilliant play from O'Driscoll.
Michalak is being booed by his own fans at the Aviva Stadum.
France come so close to breaking down Ireland, but the hosts defend brilliantly, and can hold it up for long enough to earn the decision.
O'Driscoll looks likely to come off here, he has failed to shake off an earlier knock.
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O'Driscoll comes off to a standing ovation for Ireland. Could that be his last appearance here? Who knows.
France have done well since making their changes. They trail by seven points but are on the front foot. It's squeaky bum time in Dublin.
TRY! Ireland 13-11 France (Louis Picamoles)
Wow what a finish we have here. France thought they had an initial try from Parra when he went over, but the penalty had already been awarded. However, Picamoles took it quickly, and squeezed it over for the score.
CONVERSION SUCCESSFUL! Ireland 13-13 France (Frederic Michalak)
Having been booed earlier, Michalak converts the kick and we're level in Dublin. O'Driscoll has returned to the field. What a finish we have here!
Earls thinks that he has immediately responded with a try in the corner, but it looks as if Picamoles has denied him. Replays show that Earls was actually pushed off the ball. It's looking like it could be a penalty.
The referee and TMO are discussing the decision, and they give a drop-out on the 22. France have gotten away with one there. Ireland will feel like they should have had a penalty.
Final moments of the match, will there be a winning move?
Ireland attempt perhaps their final attack, but France turn it over and win the penalty.
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Eoin Reddan is flat out in the middle of the field, and looks in some discomfort.
No time for the lineout for France so they will have to run this with just seconds remaining.
The stretcher cart vehicle is on the field and we could be a few minutes as Reddan receives treatment.
FULL TIME: Ireland 13-13 France
So it ends level in Dublin, as Ireland fail to add any points. France came back dramatically late on and they will be happy to have taken the draw. This will feel like a defeat for the hosts.
Well that's it from me today after another exciting day of Six Nations rugby, join me tomorrow for the final match of the weekend, as England host Italy at Twickenham from 3pm.
FULL TIME RESULTS:
Scotland 18-28 Wales
Ireland 13-13 France
Scotland 18-28 Wales
Ireland 13-13 France
Thanks for joining me, see you tomorrow. Enjoy your evening!
