The reaction to an extremely tense and tight first half between Ireland and France

My god it was tense.

Ireland lead France 9-6 at the interval in Cardiff after 40 minutes which could only have been more tense if there was a giant asteroid bearing down on earth threatening to destroy us all. Don't worry - you're not the only one feeling this way. Here's how the opening half played out on Twitter. The mind games started before kick off as Paulie took the boys for a run in enemy territory. https://twitter.com/SportsJOEdotie/status/653229000140148736 As kick off arrived, Super Sunday was upon us and the noise was deafening. https://twitter.com/MCThomasSport/status/653235667787456516 With two turnovers in the first three minutes Peter O'Mahony was playing like a man possessed. https://twitter.com/bencoles_/status/653236553301553152 He wasn't the only one. https://twitter.com/colmtobin/status/653236803034550272 The French missed two early kicks as Ireland rode their luck. https://twitter.com/SportsJOEdotie/status/653238435147313153 Though Johnny Sexton didn't need much luck as he put Ireland 3-0 ahead. https://twitter.com/WhosAdrianBarry/status/653239007074193408 Scott Spedding's second attempt sailed through the posts and the nerves were jangling again. https://twitter.com/colmtobin/status/653239774027907072 Another exchange of penalties bewteen Sexton and Spedding didn't exactly ease the tension. And neither did Picamoles' huge hit on Sexton. https://twitter.com/patmccarry/status/653241038149156864 And Ireland's key man could take no further part. https://twitter.com/SportsJOEdotie/status/653242438618845184 His replacement, Ian Madigan, didn't need much time to settle, slotting over his first kick to make it 9-6. https://twitter.com/MrNiallMcGarry/status/653242798188183552 Keith Earls could have given Ireland a little breathing space but his handling let him down after Tommy Bowe ran a perfect line of a stunning set play move. https://twitter.com/RobTimony/status/653244134644424704 https://twitter.com/SportsJOEdotie/status/653244059687981056 https://twitter.com/MCThomasSport/status/653244628288819201 But thankfully for Ireland Madigan was settling in nicely to his role as Ireland's pivot. https://twitter.com/ianprior/status/653245417048641536 Though the injury to Paul O'Connell right on the half time whistle left everyone fretting again. https://twitter.com/MickClearyTel/status/653247691930116097 https://twitter.com/KMcGillicuddy86/status/653247419728154625 https://twitter.com/SecondCaptains/status/653247075791044608 Half time: Ireland 9 France 6.