France Triumph In Topsy-turvy Match To Leave Australia Winless On Autumn Tour

France hit Australia successful a see-saw lucifer to extremity nan Wallabies’ first winless circuit of Europe successful 67 years, spoiling Joe Schmidt’s farewell Test arsenic some teams closed their autumn bid astatine nan Stade de France connected Saturday.

Les Bleus, whose November run produced mixed results, alternated moments of attacking flair and periods of costly indiscipline, many times allowing Australia backmost into a lucifer that fluctuated throughout.

The visitors, who will big nan 2027 World Cup pinch nan tie group for 3 December, stayed successful nan conflict but faded successful nan last 20 minutes.

France’s brilliance successful surgery play yielded tries for Nicolas Depoortère (two), Louis Bielle-Biarrey (two), Julien Marchand and Maxime Lamothe, pinch Thomas Ramos adding 5 conversions and a punishment to his ain try.

Australia, who besides mislaid to England, Italy and Ireland, capitalised whenever French subject slipped, hitting backmost done Matthew Faessler (two), Angus Bell, Max Jorgensen and Josh Nasser, while Tane Edmed kept nan scoreboard moving pinch 4 conversions.

Nicolas Depoortère goes complete successful nan corner. The centre was successful good shape for France. Photograph: Thibaud Moritz/AFP/Getty Images

“We’re happy to decorativeness pinch a large triumph today,” said France’s captain, Grégory Alldritt. “In defence we request to activity a bit, beryllium a spot cleaner arsenic well, little penalties against us. A fewer steps to activity on.”

Schmidt, who is stepping down aft taking complaint pursuing nan 2023 World Cup fiasco, praised his team’s efforts. “We’re disappointed we didn’t decorativeness pinch nan triumph you would person loved to see,” he said.

“But nan players person made a heck of an effort – 15 Tests successful 22 weeks pinch nan magnitude of recreation we’ve had. I respect nan measurement they’ve dusted themselves disconnected and gone again.”

The Wallabies scored connected nan first possession of nan game, moving done nan phases earlier Faessler bundled over. France deed backmost erstwhile Bielle-Biarrey ghosted past 2 defenders and recovered Depoortère connected nan wrong for nan hosts’ first try.

France missed regular tackles to let Bell to touch down betwixt nan sticks and put Australia up again earlier nan hosts shifted nan shot sharply done nan hands to create an overlap, freeing Ramos to glide complete and level astatine 12-12.

France extended nan lead successful style arsenic nan shot was worked wide to Bielle-Biarrey and nan winger exploded into space, chipping up and regathering earlier stepping wrong nan past defender to decorativeness a superb solo try.

Australia levelled earlier nan break aft Maxime Lucu was sent to nan sin-bin, Faessler crossing again from a maul.

A Ramos punishment and Depoortère’s 2nd effort aft a quickly taken punishment gave Les Bleus a 10-point separator but it was not capable for a squad who had small attraction successful defence. Jorgensen showed awesome gait down nan left, kicking nan shot up earlier winning nan title to dive complete successful nan area and Edmed converted to constrictive nan spread to a azygous point.

Max Jorgensen dives successful for a effort successful nan area aft showing awesome pace. Photograph: Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP/Getty Images

The momentum swung yet again erstwhile Marchand touched down from a maul and Australia’s Tom Hooper picked up a yellowish card.

France tightened their grip erstwhile a short lineout move sent replacement Kalvin Gourgues slicing done nan defence earlier releasing Bielle-Biarrey who vanished successful nan area to agelong nan lead.

Nasser forced his measurement complete again to bring Australia backmost to 41-33, but France had nan past connection pinch Lamothe’s precocious try.

France mislaid 32-17 to world champions South Africa and hit Fiji 34-21 successful their different autumn internationals.