PARIS (Reuters) - Wing Vincent Clerc scored two fine tries as hosts France put their World Cup campaign firmly back on track with a 25-3 victory over Ireland yesterday.

Scrumhalf Jean-Baptiste Elissalde kicked 15 points to put the French top of Pool D, at least until Argentina meet Namibia in Marseille today.

It was France's sixth successive win over Ireland since 2003 and leaves the Irish, who have won only once in Paris since 1972, clinging to World Cup survival with their pool showdown with Argentina to come on September 30. France now have 10 points, one more than Ireland and Argentina.

The French scored their first try from a lineout after an hour's play.

Flyhalf Frederic Michalak chipped superbly over the defence towards the right corner where Clerc ran through to touch down to put the French 20-3 up in front of a delirious 80,000 crowd at the Stade de France.

Elissalde missed the difficult conversion and a penalty two minutes later to mar his record which up to that point had been five successes out of five.

Ireland lock Paul O'Connell was sin-binned in the 64th minute for an infringement and the French pack's dominance of the Irish forwards at that stage led to Clerc's second try 11 minutes from the final whistle.

This time, Elissalde chipped ahead and the right wing barged past two defenders, somehow managing not to be bundled into touch, to score.

"It was a do-or-die situation, we had to win," France coach Bernard Laporte said.

"We were patient and built our victory but it's a pity we didn't get the bonus points," he told a television interviewer.

"We have bounced back and I want to congratulate my players. We focused, we tackled a lot... and we took some pleasure, which had been missing from our first match."

France centre Damian Traille was sin-binned in the 76th minute but Ireland failed to get past the French defence in a final concerted attack on the French try-line.

The two teams tested each other with-up-and unders from the start and the first points on the board came from Elissalde, with the first of four successful penalties in the opening half.

Both sides, especially France, attempted to run the ball at every opportunity and two French counter-attacks almost delivered tries.

Just past the quarter hour, a dropped pass by the Irish backs led to a break down the left by wing Cedric Heymans, who passed inside to hooker and captain Raphael Ibanez.

The attack was stopped but France launched a raid out to the right from the ruck and fullback Clement Poitrenaud was denied a try in the corner when he was forced into touch at the flag.

Two more Elissalde penalties put France 9-0 up before Irish flyhalf Ronan O'Gara, who had missed with a penalty from 40 yards when Ireland were 3-0 down, reduced the arrears with a fine drop goal from nearly 40 yards.

Michalak missed a penalty from the near the halfway line as half-time approached before Elissalde's fourth did give them a 12-3 interval lead.