Lauren Jackson's return could not prevent the Opals from losing 70-57 to Olympic bronze medallists France in their first game of the FIBA Women's World Cup.
Thursday night's loss at Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena was Australia's first to France from six World Cup meetingsThe loss leaves the Opals with work to do to progress from Group B, the more competitive of the two World Cup pools
Australia's most decorated female basketballer, 41-year-old Jackson made a cameo from the bench in her first competitive game for the Opals since announcing her international retirement in 2013. "[France] played very physically. They took us out of a lot of the stuff that we wanted to do and we didn't respond in the right way."
France's Gabby Williams, right, and France's Sarah Michel, left, attempt to stop Australia's Bec Allen.
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