Australia lost a thriller to France 30-29 at Stade de France, with a brave Wallabies side missing the chance to stop Les Bleus’ winning streak at 10 Tests
Dave Rennie’s men were always going to attack from open play but this Test, the 51st between the nations in 95 years of fierce rivalry, would be won in the clinches.is where Les Bleus thrive, yet in the first scrum Australia’s front-row held firm and straight and France’s buckled and slid. It won a penalty Bernard Foley converted for 3-0. Straight away Australia gave the penalty back and Thomas Ramos made it 3-3.
Australia’s fluency in attack was surprising but even then cute passes and cutouts were going awry. But their defence was holding firm as France dominated the breakdown and slowly won the bigger moments at the collision. Finally it told, as Charles Ollivon found the stripe. However, a minute later replays showed a second movement. No try.
Now 13-6 up, Australia barrelled forward again, kicking high and chasing hard. France kept drilling it out of their own half to gift Australia possession who played kick-to-kick for a while before reverting to the Wallaby Way – ball in hand, all-out attack. Even when the cover attack closed, Ikitau’s cheeky inside-kicks kept Les Bleus guessing.
Then came calamity. A panicked pass from Foley went behind his man. France swooped and surged to the line, Julien Marchand eventually rumbling over under the posts. It was a heartbreaker for the Wallabies. They had played the better rugby for most of the half but, as has become their habit, undid the good with silly mistakes, needless turnovers and dumb penalties to go from 13-9 up with four minutes left to trail 19-13.
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