France's second-half surge sinks Australia and lifts Les Bleus into second
France recovered from an early wobble to beat Australia 42-26 at Suncorp Stadium, running in six tries and pulling clear after the break to leave the hosts still searching for their first win in this Nations Championship campaign. The bonus-point victory lifts France to second in the North table, while Australia sit fifth in the South after back-to-back defeats, albeit with losing bonus points in both.
For long stretches this was a proper contest. The difference, in the end, was France's ability to strike in clusters and Australia's inability to slow the game once it opened up in the second half.
A fast start both ways
France struck almost immediately. Emmanuel Meafou crashed over in the second minute, Maxime Lucu converted, and the visitors were in front before the crowd had settled. Australia's response was sharp enough. Brandon Paenga-Amosa, on early after replacing starting hooker Josh Nasser in the third minute, finished in the ninth minute and Ryan Lonergan levelled it at 7-7.
The half then turned on France's discipline. Meafou was sent to the bin on 23 minutes, and Australia made the extra man count. Fraser McReight scored twice in the space of seven minutes either side of the half-hour, both converted by Lonergan, and the Wallabies led 21-12 at the break. On the balance of that first period, they deserved it.
The contest slips away after the break
The match changed in a brutal ten-minute stretch early in the second half. Lucu kicked a penalty in the 45th minute, then Tom Wright was yellow-carded on 49 minutes and France pounced immediately, Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang going over for his second try of the night. Down to fourteen and suddenly under real pressure, Australia could not slow the tempo.
Romain Ntamack scored in the 52nd minute to put France ahead, and from there the visitors kept coming. Florian Verhaeghe crossed on 56 minutes, Lucu converted both tries and added another penalty, and a 21-15 deficit had become a 37-21 lead in barely a quarter of an hour. Australia never recovered the initiative.
The numbers point to where it was won. France beat 28 defenders to Australia's 21 and made 12 clean breaks to the hosts' five. When the game loosened up, France's outside backs did the damage.
France's standout carriers
This was a night for France's runners.
- Yoram Moefana was the game's leading metre-maker with 92 from 10 carries, adding two clean breaks and four defenders beaten before he was replaced.
- Theo Attissogbe was relentless on the wing: 83 metres, three offloads, two clean breaks and the try that made it 42-21 on 72 minutes.
- Matthieu Jalibert chipped in 84 metres from fullback, while Grandidier-Nkanang (72 metres, two tries) gave France a constant threat down the left.
- Lenni Nouchi did the hard yards in the forwards with 17 carries and 14 tackles, and Marko Gazzotti topped France's tackle count with 20.
Lucu finished with 12 points and steered the side well once France got back in front. The visitors were far from perfect - nine penalties conceded and a yellow card gave Australia openings - but their carrying threat was too much across 80 minutes.
Australia: a strong first half, then no answers
There was plenty for Australia to build on before it slipped away. McReight was outstanding, with two tries, 19 tackles and four defenders beaten from openside. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii carried well for 48 metres and Harry Wilson got through a heavy shift with 18 tackles and 11 carries. The set-piece held up too: a perfect lineout (11 from 11) and 100% scrum success.
The concern is what happened once France found rhythm. Australia made 140 tackles to France's 198, but still missed more tackles, 28 to 22, a clear reflection of how damaging France became in broken play. Wright's yellow card was a costly moment, and his three turnovers conceded pointed to a difficult evening at the back. Once France scored either side of that card, the Wallabies could not exit their own half or slow the visitors down.
Two losing bonus points from two games is not nothing, but Australia have now conceded 33 and 42 in successive matches. The effort was there; the control was not.
What it means
France move to seven points and second in the North pool, with a fully deserved bonus point to show for their second-half work. Australia stay on three points in fifth in the South standings, still chasing that first victory.
Australia next face Italy, while France meet Japan. On this evidence, the Wallabies have enough to trouble sides - they simply have to find a way to stay in front when they get there.