France beat Australia in a see-saw match to end the Wallabies’ first winless tour of Europe in 67 years,spoiling Joe Schmidt’s farewell Test as both teams closed their autumn series at the Stade de France on Saturday.
les Bleus, whose November campaign produced mixed results, alternated moments of attacking flair and periods of costly indiscipline, repeatedly allowing Australia back into a match that fluctuated throughout.The visitors, who will host the 2027 World Cup with the draw set for 3 December, stayed in the fight but faded in the final 20 minutes.
France’s brilliance in broken play yielded tries for Nicolas Depoortère (two), Louis Bielle-Biarrey (two), Julien Marchand and Maxime Lamothe, with Thomas ramos adding five conversions and a penalty to his own try.
Australia, who also lost to England, Italy and Ireland, capitalised whenever French discipline slipped, hitting back through Matthew Faessler (two), Angus Bell, Max Jorgensen and Josh nasser, while Tane Edmed kept the scoreboard moving with four conversions.
“We’re happy to finish with a big win today,” said France’s captain, Grégory alldritt.”in defense we need to work a bit, be a bit cleaner as well, less penalties against us. A few steps to work on.”
Schmidt, who is stepping down after taking charge following the 2023 World Cup fiasco, praised his team’s efforts. “We’re disappointed we didn’t finish with the victory you would have loved to see,” he said.
France Defeats Australia in Autumn International, 41-33
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France secured a 41-33 victory over Australia in a thrilling Autumn International match, showcasing impressive offensive play and resilience. The win follows France’s mixed results in other November tests,a 32-17 loss to world champions South Africa and a 34-21 triumph over Fiji.
Match Highlights
The match saw several momentum shifts, with both teams demonstrating attacking prowess. France initially gained an advantage, but Australia fought back, keeping the game competitive throughout.
A pivotal moment came when France’s Marchand scored from a maul, simultaneously resulting in a yellow card for Australia’s Tom Hooper. This penalty proved costly for the Australians,allowing France to capitalize on the numerical advantage.
Further extending their lead, France executed a clever short lineout move, allowing replacement Kalvin Gourgues to break through the Australian defence and offload to Bielle-Biarrey for a try in the corner.
Despite Nasser’s efforts to narrow the gap with another try, bringing the score to 41-33, France ultimately sealed the victory with a late try from Lamothe. A key moment in the match was highlighted by Max Jorgensen’s impressive pace and dive for a try, as captured by Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP/Getty Images.
Previous Autumn International Results
France’s Autumn International series presented a mixed bag of results:
* France 32-17 South Africa: A challenging match against the reigning world champions resulted in a loss for the French side. ESPN reports on the match.
* France 34-21 Fiji: France rebounded with a convincing win against Fiji, demonstrating their attacking capabilities. Reuters covered the victory.
Key Takeaways
* France demonstrated strong attacking play and the ability to capitalize on opponents’ errors.
* Discipline proved crucial, with Australia’s yellow card significantly impacting the game’s momentum.
* France’s depth was evident with impactful contributions from replacements like Kalvin Gourgues.
* The Autumn Internationals provided valuable preparation for France as they look ahead to future competitions.
France will likely use the lessons learned from these Autumn Internationals to refine their game plan and prepare for upcoming challenges in the international rugby arena. The team’s performance suggests a promising future, but continued consistency and discipline will be key to achieving sustained success.