In the aftermath of France's rampaging win over Namibia, the main talking point is a contentious decision from the referee, for thankfully the first time in the tournament.

Jacques Nieuwenhuis found himself sent-off in just the 19th minute of the match, for an admittedly dangerous tackle on Sebastien Chabal. That identical tackles have merely received a warning or a sin-binning at worst in the other games thus far, seemed to escape the attention of referee Alan Rowland.

Did he see something that the many camera angles missed? Was he swayed by the partisan crowd in Toulouse, the traditional heartland of French rugby?

The answers may or not be forthcoming in the days ahead.

What is beyond doubt is that the match as a spectacle was killed off at that moment, when the underdogs were looking full of beans at just 12-3 down.

As a result, the final landslide scoreline is of no consequence, and no indicator as to whether or not the French are in the form required to get the required result against the struggling Irish in five days time back in Paris.