IRELAND U20 coach Richie Murphy has questioned the decision to award France a try at a key moment of the World Rugby U20 Championship final on Friday.

France scored seven tries in their 50-14 victory over Ireland in Athlone on Friday. Les Bleus put 33 unanswered points past their opponents in the second stanza.

The game was in the balance after half-time, with France leading 17-14. However, everything changed after Les Bleus set a maul in the 41st minute and scored through hooker Pierre Jouvin.

While Murphy was quick to credit France for their win and performance in the final, he was not happy about the decision to award Jouvin’s try.

“Outplayed, yeah. The French are very good, and we knew that going in. We knew we had to be accurate,” the Ireland U20 coach said.

“There were a couple of big moments in the game when we were very much in it — and a couple of things went against us. That try in the 41st minute was a killer.

“If you go back and look at it, you can see that somebody joins from the front of the ball- carrier. It should be a penalty to us, and an opportunity to get out of our end of the field. Those moments in the game cause extra stress in the team, and we weren’t accurate enough ourselves.”

Ireland captain Gus McCarthy agreed that the complexion of the game changed in the period after half-time. France scored 14 points after Ireland prop Paddy McCarthy was sent to the sin bin.

“Definitely. We came into the game knowing that the French are really dangerous, especially around that breakdown area. We got opened up a few times around there. Credit to them for playing some great rugby. I was proud of the lads, but some things we just didn’t get right today.

“I think we did a job of handling their big men. It wasn’t really their power, it was a lot of things, like the scrumhalf going from the ruck really quickly. We weren’t switched on enough, and we got found out.

“Full credit to the French,” he added. “I’ve never played a team like that, at that intensity. So hard to play against.”