McKenzie pleased despite scrappy win

Editor

Wallabies boss Ewen McKenzie played down the manner of his side's scrappy 6-0 victory over France in Melbourne on Saturday.

Wallabies boss Ewen McKenzie played down the manner of his side's scrappy 6-0 victory over France in Melbourne on Saturday.

A penalty each from Bernard Foley and Nic White secured Australia's the win which gives them an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series ahead of next weekend's final encounter in Sydney.

McKenzie admitted that his side's triumph in Melbourne was not good on the eye but he hailed his charges for extending their winning run to six Tests.

“You've got to get through and you've got to win, winning's got to be a habit so you have to find a way,” he told Fox Sports.

“You'd love it to be fancy every week but the situation, our own errors and the way they played, didn't allow us to get the game style we'd like but still we managed to come away with a win.”

But McKenzie conceded that he was frustrated with his side's inability to to finish off the few try-scoring opportunities they set up.

“It was a real arm wrestle,” he added.

“It was a difficult game, they changed their tactics a fair bit, they didn't play as much as they did the week before.

“We created some opportunities but gave away silly penalties and let them off the hook in the first half.

“In the second half I thought we created opportunities and weren't patient enough in the attacking quarter so there's plenty for us to look at on the video tape and improve.”

France coach Phillipe Saint-Andre hailed his team's effort but feels they lost an opportunity to claim their first victory on Australian soil in 24 years.

“I'm proud because it was a contest, last week it was just one team on the pitch,” he said.

“But at the highest level you have to be clinical and today we weren't clinical at all. We had three or four opportunities to score a try and we missed two penalties.

“At least we didn't concede a try but we need to be focused now about next week.

“When you are close like this and you do not win (in Australia) since 1990… and today we had the opportunity (it is disappointing).

“In the first half we should have been ahead by six points but congratulations for Australia and for us we still have a lot of work to do.”