Bulldozer: Louis Picamoles
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France exacted revenge for the humiliation at the hands of the Wallabies two years ago with a dominant 33-6 victory at the Stade de France on Saturday.
The result brings an end to Australia's five-game winning streak against les Bleus and puts France in pole position in the chase for the all-important fourth place in the world rankings ahead of the World Cup pool draw next month.
France led 13-6 at the end of a scrappy first half highlighted by the home side's hard work on defence and their dominance at scrum time.
Indeed, Sekope Kepu was being worked over by Test debutant Yannick Forestier and it was off the back of an attacking scrum that French number eight Louis Picamoles could break to score the only try of the opening 40 minutes.
Fred Michalak set up Wesley Fofana for France's second try midway through the second half before the French scrum earned a penalty try - despite having changed their entire front row - as the Wallabies were held scoreless in the second half.
Michalak and Mike Harris traded early penalties as both sides look to move the ball around but failed to execute with any precision.
There were ominous signs for Australia as referee Nigel Owens awarded a series of penalties against the retreating Wallaby scrum five metres from their own line. Picamoles made sure the pressure told as he jogged over untouched.
Michalak landed the conversion to cap a solid start for les Bleus but Harris could cut the deficit at 10-6 after the French were caught offside to close the opening quarter.
With half time looming large, Michalak punished Kepu for not rolling away with a penalty and then landed a sucker-punch drop to give the hosts a 10-point lead at the interval.
Michalak was at the origin of France's second try as he stepped past Kurtley Beale to burst clear up the centre of the field before finding Wesley Fofana up in support for an easy finish.
Philippe Saint-André sent on the Clermont front row around the hour mark and it only served to augment to French ascendency at scrum time and the penalty try on 64 minutes came as no surprise.
Rob Simmons was extremely lucky not to get his marching orders for a tip tackle on Yannick Nyanga because none of the three officials could see the number on his back.
Australia came literally within inches of getting a try back but Morgan Parra did sterling work to get under the ball and hold it up.
Parra landed a final penalty to rub salt into the Wallabies' wounds, sending them to Twickenham with plenty to think about.
Man of the match: Michalak deserves a mention for his 15-point haul and try-creating break but we'll go with Louis Picamoles who was simply phenomenal with ball in hand. He went forward in every contact situation.
Moment of the match: The result had probably already been sealed for France by Fofana's try but the penalty try told a story itself and summed up a woeful night for the Wallaby front row.
Villain of the match: Rob Simmons for his (unpunished) spear tackle and the match officials for failing to take note of his number.
The scorers:
For France:
Tries: Picamoles, Fofana, Penalty try
Cons: Michalak 3
Pens: Michalak 2, Parra
Drop: Michalak
For Australia:
Pens: Harris 2
France: 15 Brice Dulin, 14 Wesley Fofana, 13 Florian Fritz , 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Vincent Clerc, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Maxime Machenaud, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Fulgence Ouedraogo, 6 Yannick Nyanga, 5 Jocelino Suta, 4 Pascal Papé (c), 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 Dimitri Szarzewski, 1 Yannick Forestier.
Replacements: 16 Benjamin Kayser, 17 Thomas Domingo, 18 Vincent Debaty, 19 Sébastien Vahaamahina, 20 Damien Chouly, 21 Morgan Parra, 22 Francois Trinh-Duc, 23 Yoann Huget.
Australia: 15 Mike Harris, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Ben Tapuai, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Nick Cummins, 10 Kurtley Beale, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Dave Dennis, 5 Nathan Sharpe (captain), 4 Kane Douglas, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Stephen Moore, 17 James Slipper, 18 Paddy Ryan, 19 Rob Simmons, 20 Radike Samo, 21 Liam Gill, 22 Brett Sheehan, 23 Berrick Barnes.
Venue: Stade de France, Paris
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: John Lacey (Ireland), Neil Paterson (Scotland)
Television match official: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)
Comments
TVaddict says...
@bigb6969
Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about Wales!
Posted 11:45 11th November 2012
Trinats2 says...
martinmarais78:
I did enjoy it, although I supported the losing side, I thought it was a great display of running rugby and passion from the French.
Posted 11:38 11th November 2012
colvin says...
Well, I suspect this French team might just go on to bigger and better things. As for Australia they can only play as well as they're allowed to and on the day they were well and truly done. France played like they did in the WC final and when they're like that they can beat anyone.
But the WBs will be back. They seem to play better when they're not expected to. I'm picking a surprise win over England. The WBs scrum will hold up. WBs by 5.
Posted 11:04 11th November 2012
scrumpoacher says...
Really well done France. As for my beloved wallabies-pick yourselves up off the floor and stamp your authority on the game next week-otherwise I won't be able to show my face at work! Hold onto the ball, pick and drive with some discipline-too easy...
Posted 11:01 11th November 2012
gauca says...
Magnificently disciplined defence, Dusautoir would have been proud I am sure.
We smothered the wallabies who at around 55/60mins simply ran out of ideas as they struggled to breakdown the defence and when they did they couldn't recylce quick enough.
Watching this on ESPN in UK the commontators changed sides throughout the game, commenting how Aus were tearing up the French defence, personally I saw a disciplined side defending indepth confidently, waiting to strike at the breakdown in numbers. Given we have one of the poorest pre Internatiol build ups this was remarkable and showed faith in eachother, long may it continue!
Saint Louis!! An outstanding performance, Galan was similarly great for Toulouse at weakend, which is indicative of the depth we have. We could have fielded 2 or 3 equalyy powerful teams, especially the front rows. I was perplexed by the squad pregame, very different to my own preference in most departments.
For me this is the start of the PSA era proper, as is always the case when players have new coaches they play out of their skin to impress. If this is not to be one of our famous one off's then the success of the PSA era will be maintaining a happy squad where ML failed and the rest will fall into place.
@Jamielivesinhope - I would not fancy Cole,Youngs,Marler scrummaging against Domingo and Co, Cole is a class scrummager but Youngs and Marler are still learning, but truly I understand your enthusiasm!! You could be on the right side of a cricket score that day! Especially if any injurues acrue and that citing depletes the Wallabies further...
Posted 10:50 11th November 2012
NHsaints says...
jonesy2...what complete and utter tosh, Owens was fine in that match, France were just too clinical in defence for the Wallabies and too strong at the scrum, France were unlucky not to have won by more.
Posted 10:40 11th November 2012
Heathy says...
Well, I predicted this one (see previous posts) as I think the Wallabies are on the rocks at the moment. I'm sure they will sort themselves out but some of the medias blind faith just doesn't wash. All this talk about second string is also just stupid excuses. They were not a second string. The Wallabies have the odd injury and so do the French. When there is a full team of first picks available and a side is selected of their reserves then that is a second string. The Wallabies and the French were the best they could provide. Also @ jonesy2 - the NH can't produce decent players or refs? Jeeze mate. Sometimes you say so good stuff and then you just can't help yourself and come out with a load of sh@te. I know you have the blinkers on with all things SH but at least try and appear to show some knowledge. It just makes all you say look stupid and that is why so many think you're an arse.
Posted 10:22 11th November 2012
new_j4a says...
@KiwiLad says..."Trinats2, what was your prediction again??? "
This is what I assumed he meant..."(Oz is) the team PR love to hate. (<--notice the full stop) (Prediction-->) 29- 12 (to) FRA" Since this was the only interpretation that make sense in the face of a clearly superior team...I took my mate Trinats' prediction to the bookies....
Posted 10:08 11th November 2012
startledwombat says...
@letsgoboks
>Everyone knows that if a French team rock up wanting to win they will beat anyone in the world...
Quite right! Heaven help us if they ever start stringing performances together (as NZmaoriboy points out is the mark of a good team). I mean, we saw what can happen when they played for a full 75 minutes today.
Posted 10:04 11th November 2012
new_j4a says...
@Rosbif who says " It started with the front row at the first scrum. If you want to stop the French from getting confidence, that's where you have to kill them. " Never a truer word has been said. As punishment for your lack of faith I sentence you to a case of Coonawarra Cabernet.
Posted 09:48 11th November 2012
mlbp says...
@JamieTheProp
I don't think the England scrum is better than the French one. They can be on a par or the French one can have the upper hand.
@everybody who was amazed by the French display
I would not like to spoil everybody's party but this was just one match, let's not get overexcited. I was happy to see France win and win they did in style, but what makes great teams great is their continuity. Look at Wales, their dismal showings after all the (sometimes deserved) hype they cause. The All Blacks are there at the top because they have very few off days, and even on those days they look ominous.
France are missing Harinordoquy and Dusautoir as 6 and 7. For about 35 minutes the Aussie loosies were romping and Ouedraogo and Nyanga were shown because of their lack of beef. Picamoles saved the day and Suta was magnificent in the tight. Nyanga is mobile and loves to run with the ball in hand, a player I love to watch, but in close quarters he's the one to lose to bigger guys. When hell breaks loose he's the best though, and that's what happened yesterday. Well done France for being able to punch those holes and offload so well.
Last night all the players fired on all cylinders. An example was the first play of the second half, with a Dan Carter-style kickoff and the attack that ensued. That was an example of the commitment of this team, who wanted to prove a point. Let's hope for the good of this sport that France are not back to their self-complacent days. It was a great win, one of their best in recent years, let's enjoy it, fans, but that was not the end of the world as we know it for Australia or the beginning of an era for France. Argentina is the real test. Let's see if Pape et al. have the mechanisms to decomission the Pumas clockwork efficiency in the tight and they can play on the front foot like against the Wallabies. If they do, hats off to PSA and the team.
Posted 09:43 11th November 2012
new_j4a says...
@5Lock4ward says..."If only Lievremont had been smart enough to have Michalak in his squad about 14 months ago..." Indeed Freddie is what Cooper would be like if he could tackle (and wasn't a prat)....brilliant and unpredictable....and a decent human being. The more time he spends in the S15 the better.
Posted 09:38 11th November 2012
Chicka says...
Deans has to go ... I truly hope the Aussies get thumped every game so that there is no doubt that that pathetic Kiwi loser has to be shown the door ...
Posted 09:28 11th November 2012
froggy73 says...
@jonesy2: With a scoreline of 33-6 how dare you blaming the referee ??? I understand your bitterness but just face it, the wobblies were against a too strong team tonight. Simply as that. Nigel Owens had nothing to do with the weakness of Australia's depth.
Allez les Bleus !
Posted 09:27 11th November 2012
new_j4a says...
@MacTavish who says..."Aussie are no where near the second best team on the planet. " Yes they were....they were playing against them yesterday....close enough to touch when they were able to catch up.
(That one's for you Rosbif... :)
Posted 09:24 11th November 2012
lawynd says...
@jonesy2 - you're right, Nigel Owens was really poor for not penalising the Australian 'scrum' (I use the term loosely) every time they packed down and for not sending off Australia's 19 for a blatant and deliberate spear tackle.
Posted 09:23 11th November 2012
Jediboy says...
Jonesy2 - a NH team just thrashed a SH team. Makes your last comment look rather silly now. And it shows you clearly don't know what you're talking about and are just here to wind people up.
Posted 09:23 11th November 2012
KiwiJoe says...
Well done France, close to the RWC final level, but what will the next game be like? More consistency please, and at least one win v. the All Blacks next year would be great.
Wobblies were awful, the Dingo can,t be happy with that result.
Posted 09:07 11th November 2012
letsgoboks says...
Its France... what do you expect hah!
Everyone knows that if a French team rock up wanting to win they will beat anyone in the world... Theyre the only NH team the SH truly fear.
I expect the Aussies to bounce back strong. Next week will be painful in the English media as they scored a few points against fiji and love attacking the Aussie scrum.
Deans cannot be blamed for that poor skill play from the players.
Well done France... there is nothing more beautiful than a flowing French rugby team with fire in their bellies!
Posted 08:48 11th November 2012
jonesy2 says...
embarrassing for the wallabies to be honest. dave dennis has pushed his luck too much surely he cant be selected anymore unless they have to on this tour. with pocock coming back hooper should play at 6. nigel owens the latest to be put on the list of refs who should not be allowed to referee an international match ever again, joining allain rolland and wayne barnes. NH cant produce any decent players or refs. sort yourselves out please.
Posted 08:46 11th November 2012