All you need in life is an opportunity. it’s up to us to take it,’ Andy Farrell declared on Friday night, before sending three debutants out to play in a nation where Ireland had won only three times this century.

They heeded his words — and none more than the brilliant young fly-half in whom he had invested so much belief.

Jack Crowley was the architect of a performance which will live long in the memory and which tells us that this side are the ones to beat in the tournament which lies ahead. Joe McCarthy, in the second row, delivered in abundance, too.

Read Ian Herbert's full report from Marseille below

Andy Farrell after Ireland's dominant win has told ITV Sport;

Any type of victory here on Friday night to start the Six Nations is a hard task. But it's special because we kept playing for the 80 minutes and got we deserved.
Some times when you play 14 the tendancy is to shut up shop but we kept going.
They're not young these are guys who have been around the squad for a couple of years and we know they are ready to play. Some of them have had to be patient but there were some immense performances. Those youngsters are able to be themselves because of how they make each other feel.

France get a late penalty and they are ten metres from the Irish try-line.

Ireland win the ball though and kick it out of play and that is that!

What a win for the visitors!

Crowley goes for the corner and they win the ball from the line-out.

They drive the ball forward and Dan Sheehan gets the ball over the line!

Brilliant response by Ireland.

And it's a try for France!

While Peter O'Mahony is being sent to the sin-bin for bringing down the maul and it's now 14 v 14 for the next 10 minutes.

What a huge opportunity for France.

Henshaw shimmies his way through the French defence and finds Doris who sends it wide for Nash to score the try on his Six Nations debut!

Ramos converts and that's it for half-time!

Wow that half flew by, blink and you miss it.

But that late try from France has made it a real game despite them being a man down.

Should be a fascinating 40 ahead.

That's more like it from the hosts and they score their first try of the tournament to a huge cheer from the crowd.

Fantastic from Damian Penaud who dives over after some patient build-up play from France.

It's a great response to going a man down.

Willemse had just come back from an early kick-off and now he is shown a second yellow, swiftly followed by the red!

France will have to play the rest of this match with 14 men.

It was almost an identical tackle on Doris as he committed earlier on Porter with a shoulder to the head. What was he thinking?