Summary
Thank you very much for joining us tonight and that extraordinary climax. Here’s your match report, and keep your eyes peeled for plenty more reaction from this nail-biter. We’ll be back to do this all again from Melbourne on Tuesday.
The Wallabies were very rusty tonight but you could see the makings of a strategy, especially with the patient multi-phase play with ball in hand. Australia doubled France’s number of carries and ran 100m further in possession. The set-piece was solid, especially the scrum once Tupou had entered the fray. There was no cohesion amongst the backs though and considering the penalty count was a staggering 14-6 in their favour there were minimal scoring opportunities.
Last year’s internationals were full of dramatic finishes, and this season has begun in the same mould. I still can’t get France’s catastrophe out of my mind. What a horrible nightmare the way the ball went from the lineout on halfway back to their own line like it was drawn by a malevolent magnet. Because most of us are watching on TV you kept expecting a blue jersey to calmly collect possession and hammer the ball into touch, but it just never came. GAH!
On the balance of play over the 80 minutes Australia were not undeserved victors, but the manner of those closing few minutes, deary me. What the heck were France doing!?
Talk about stealing defeat from the jaws of victory...
Full-time: Australia 23-21 France
Australia win!
That was extraordinary. France don’t secure the lineout cleanly, but they do enough to retain possession, whereupon they throw the ball like headless poulets, desperate to find someone who can kick to touch to end the game. But they can’t! And the ball goes to ground, McDermott following through and Australia have the turnover deep in French territory. And then there’s the penalty advantage! Oh my word! But Australia keep rolling, they want the try, not the penalty, phase after phase, bodies strewn under the posts - this is an incredible ending! The Wallabies can’t find a hole in this defence so they spin the ball back for the drop-goal, which is smothered, and the penalty is awarded. Lolesio can’t miss from under the posts.
WHAT ON EARTH!
Updated
79 mins: Australia 20-21 France - France secure the lineout - just - then begin to grind on their own 22. They do enough, then kick into Australia’s half. Banks leads the charge back, McDermott is lively, but France’s defence is up quickly and firmly. Oddly, Paisami goes to his boot and kicks away possession. France boot clear to hand Australia a lineout near halfway. One final play in this match remaining...
Updated
78 mins: Australia 20-21 France - How costly will that miss prove to be? Was that the moment? The Wallabies continue to push and Tupou finds a break that sets up space for Australia to attack down the right - but the ball doesn’t go to hand! Agonising for fans in Suncorp Stadium.
77 mins: Australia 20-21 France - Deep in the left corner the Wallabies secure the lineout then recycle play. After a couple of runs beyond the gainline France hit back and begin pushing Australia back. What does McDermott do? He feeds Lolesio in the pocket.... and he misses the field goal!
76 mins: Australia 20-21 France - Now Australia earn the scrum penalty to tighten the screw further. France are behind 13-5 now in the penalty count. Australia have a lineout on France’s 22.
75 mins: Australia 20-21 France - Oh France, what are you doing!? Slow grinding play down the right wing looks to be sucking the life out of the contest, then a simple pass infield is shelled by Falatea and Australia have their tails up again. That was a poor knock-on.
73 mins: Australia 20-21 France - But that momentum evaporates when Paisami is penalised at the breakdown following a bullocking run from Koroibete. France kick downfield.
72 mins: Australia 20-21 France - All the momentum with Australia again. France are tightening, as evidenced by a shocking shank in a one-sided kicking duel to concede a lineout on halfway.
TRY! Australia 20-21 France (Hooper 71)
The lineout is fine and the multi-phase play thereafter is fast and sharp with McDermott finding forwards on his shoulder time and again. Wilson is important, Tupou goes close, then Hooper takes responsibility himself and spins under the melee to touch down. Lolesio narrows the deficit to one point. Massive moment in this match. Plenty of time for the Wallabies to finish this off.
Updated
68 mins: Australia 13-21 France - France spill the high kick allowing Australia to attack with a penalty advantage 35m out. They use it to head left but Koroibete runs out of space. They go back to the infringement and kick to the left corner. All to do in the final ten minutes.
68 mins: Australia 13-21 France - It’s opposite day in midfield with a Wallaby scrum becoming a free-kick for an early French push. McDermott hares off into a gap but he’s isolated and France regain possession. They soon cough it back up though with an errant pass into touch on the right. This has been a match between two rusty outfits.
66 mins: Australia 13-21 France - Australia concede the midfield scrum, then a free-kick at the set piece. France, perhaps wary of Tupou, avoid a reset and instead pump a mighty garryowen that Banks does superbly to claim under serious pressure. The Wallabies can’t back up with quick ball though and a rash pass wide to the right slows the phase, France move up quickly, and any semblance of attack grinds to a halt.
Penalty! Australia 13-21 France (Jaminet 63)
That is a monster penalty from Jaminet! Fully 45m near the left touchline. Huge three points for France.
Australia have had the upper hand for most of the night but France continue to retain that handy margin.
Updated
62 mins: Australia 13-18 France - Koroibete gets Australia rolling straight away from the restart but as the Wallabies shift from left to right they concede a penalty at the breakdown and France are happy to slow the game down and invite fullback Jaminet to kick for three points.
Updated
Penalty! Australia 13-18 France (Lolesio 60)
Never in doubt. Big final quarter coming up.
60 mins: Australia 10-18 France - However, Tupou again rises to the occasion and earns a scrum penalty Australia’s way. Lolesio will have a look from a long way out.
59 mins: Australia 10-18 France - Australia are playing catch-up rugby and they’re lacking the grind that proved so powerful late in the first half. It’s typified by a knock-on at the breakdown in centre-field and France can milk the clock with a scrum.
57 mins: Australia 10-18 France - France run from behind the scrum in front of their posts and it almost ends in tears with a poor pass near the right touchline. They secure the ball but Australia are up in their faces, Koroibete nailing his opposite number, and then the attempted box kick is parried off the boot into touch.
55 mins: Australia 10-18 France - It’s a solid lineout but France counter hard, slowing play down. Australia look to have lost it, but the ball eventually comes out and Paisami dabs through a magical left-footed chip for two gold chasers. This has to be a try! But it isn’t! Wright looks to be first to the bouncing ball but it takes a wicked bounce and wrongfoots the winger who can only knock-on. So cruel for the Wallabies.
54 mins: Australia 10-18 France - The scrum rotates rapidly, courtesy of the mass of substitute Tupou, and Australia kick to the corner for a 5m lineout. Shades of the pressure that led to the Wallabies scoring in the first half here.
53 mins: Australia 10-18 France - France make a mess of the restart and Australia have an attacking scrum on the French 22 near the right touchline.
Penalty! Australia 10-18 France (Carbonel 52)
Carbonel cannot miss from there and France are back more than a converted try ahead.
The tsunami of substitutes is underway.
51 mins: Australia 10-15 France - Again it’s slow, but busy, from France, and a series of pick and drives sees them rumble forward until Hooper is unable to get back onside from the breakdown quickly enough, and the penalty is awarded.
50 mins: Australia 10-15 France - It’s a textbook scrum from the Wallabies and off the back Banks kicks down to the France 22 for a lineout. It’s solid but slow from the French, who are forced to box kick in traffic - but it pays off. Banks’ return kick is a shocking shank that carries only ten metres or so and straight into touch. From nowhere France have an attacking lineout on Australia’s 22.
48 mins: Australia 10-15 France - A nice kick down towards Australia’s left corner earns France some territory and they establish their first solid attacking platform in a while, only to knock-on at the breakdown and gift Australia a relieving scrum.
46 mins: Australia 10-15 France - Australia steal an overthrown lineout, then are handed a penalty advantage. The ball is shifted quickly to the right where Banks chips and chases but the French defence gets back in the nick of time. Australia building nicely now.
Penalty! Australia 10-15 France (Lolesio 44)
Australia are not out of possession for long. France try to run the ball out of defence but Wilson lays a strong tackle, Hooper is first to the breakdown, and yet another penalty goes Australia’s way. Lolesio dabs over the simple three points. The Wallabies are grinding their way into this and you now expect them to run over the top of an ill-disciplined France.
42 mins: Australia 7-15 France - The lineout following the kick is solid and Toomua and Paisami both cross the gain line with bursts. This is crisp and powerful from Australia. But they can’t find any space on the outside and when they eventually feed Valetini on the left he’s ushered into touch.
42 mins: Australia 7-15 France - ... they can. Guess what? France concede a penalty. Philip does well to take the kick-off then hold the ball in for a maul that France can only interfere with illegally.
The teams are back out for the second half. Can the Wallabies continue their momentum from before half-time?
Australia started slowly but grew into the half and ended it with all the momentum. France became increasingly ragged as fatigue set in and conceded penalties at regular intervals. They retain the advantage following Villiere’s two-try burst, but after profiting from Wallaby mistakes they offered little else in possession.
Half-time: Australia 7-15 France
Odd play from France, who seem to be playing for half-time 30 seconds out, and the lack of intensity results in a turnover followed by a penalty. The kick after the hooter sends the Wallabies to the 22, but the lineout throw is overcooked and France accept the break.
39 mins: Australia 7-15 France - The Wallabies forwards grind another hardworking multi-phase play through the guts but a poor pass form Gordon robs it of any momentum. Eventually play is shifted to the short side, the right, but it all gets too cute and Wright runs out of space.
Updated
37 mins: Australia 7-15 France - Australia’s defence is under a smidgen of pressure following the restart but France concede yet another penalty, this time at the breakdown, to gift the Wallabies a relieving kick from their 22.
Updated
TRY! Australia 7-15 France (Paenga-Amosa 35)
This near 10 minute attack has all been in Australia’s left corner of attack but this time they kick to the right corner, and it pays immediate dividends! The lineout is slick, the mail is secure, and off the side Philip gains a great roll on and behind him Brandon Paenga-Amosa has the honour of touching down for the try. Very well deserved for the sustained pressure, and celebrated with plenty of relief.
Lolesio kicks a very tidy conversion from just inside the right touchline.
33 mins: Australia 0-15 France - It’s an even scrum, and then it starts to rotate like a Catherine wheel and when the front rows pop up France cheer, but it’s a reset, not a steal. The second feed is cleaner and off the back Wilson surges to within a metre. The troops mass on the line and it’s an almighty melee with bodies crashing at the line. AND AGAIN play ends with a penalty against France. This time the referee stops play and instructs France that he’s had enough and any further indiscretions will be punished more heavily.
31 mins: Australia 0-15 France - The kick to the corner results in a scruffier lineout this time but Australia regather and mount a slow-phase attack in sight of the French line. It barely gets moving though with yet another whistle against France, this time for offside, and the Wallabies have a 5m scrum.
30 mins: Australia 0-15 France - Another solid lineout for Australia, another heavily contested maul, and another penalty against France soon afterwards, this time for a French tackler playing the ball off his feet after a strong run from Toomua. This has been a long phase of pressure from the Wallabies, they have to score.
28 mins: Australia 0-15 France - Solid lineout from the Wallabies and from the resulting maul France concede another penalty. With the advantage in his favour Lolesio kicks crossfield but it’s harmless and play returns to the penalty and another kick to the corner.
26 mins: Australia 0-15 France - France haven’t overplayed in possession and again they kick through Carbonel. It’s very shallow though and Australia mount a multi-phase attack from just inside their own half. After eating up 20m in a couple of moves the play grinds to a halt and advantages mount until finally the whistle is blown in penalty range. The three points are declined in favour of a kick to the corner.
TRY! Australia 0-15 France (Villiere 23)
And it gets poorer! From that knock-on France execute the scrum efficiently, head from left to right and by the time they reach midfield Danty slips Villiere through the line on his inside against the flow of the move and the big left winger has his second try of the night under the posts. Super set piece move from the visitors who are bossing this contest.
21 mins: Australia 0-8 France - France’s defensive line has been up quickly and firmly, denying Australia any go-forward. Gordon and Paisami have linked well on a couple of occasions but they’ve yet to make significant incursions. Following an Australian box kick France accept a couple of tackles before punting the ball deep - and Wright knocks it on. Hmmm, this has been a poor opening quarter from the home side.
Penalty! Australia 0-8 France (Carbonel 19)
France gain plenty of territory before Australia get their hands back on the ball, but almost as soon as they do the Wallabies cough it right back up again with a poorly executed combination on the right wing. Carbonel drills a lovely 40m penalty to extend France’s lead.
15 mins: Australia 0-5 France - France have the feed to a scrum 10m out under their own posts. It’s reset twice, slowing the game down to a crawl, and eventually ends with a penalty against Slipper.
13 mins: Australia 0-5 France - Australia hit back straight away! Or do they? Wright takes the ball from Gordon off the back of the scrum and crosses the gainline, there’s super fast ball and a rocket pass to Paisami on the burst and with his momentum he pounds through the French defence and crawls over the line. However, while the TMO was checking for a double movement a forward pass was spotted. Groans around Suncorp Stadium.
12 mins: Australia 0-5 France - The Wallabies secure their scrum on this occasion and kick downfield to claim good territory. The first lineout of the match is flagged for a wonky throw and the Wallabies have a superb attacking platform.
9 mins: Australia 0-5 France - A third error in possession from Australia returns possession to France on halfway but Gordon sharks brilliantly at the scrum to force a knock-on and earn the Wallabies their own feed.
TRY! Australia 0-5 France (Villiere, 6)
Australia are awarded their first scrum feed on their own 10m line but they make an absolute mess of it and soon gift a turnover infield. France do superbly to retain their composure and catch-pass to the left wing where Villiere has time and pace to step off his left foot and dive over.
The routine conversion is sliced wide.
Updated
4 mins: Australia 0-0 France - After Banks failed to find touch Australia regrouped quickly but Paisami was isolated in the left centre position and France forced the turnover. The resulting scrum is reset before France peel off the back and make huge metres sending the ball from right to left, Vincent to the fore. The breakdown falls Australia’s way though with Banks doing superbly at the coalface. A dangerous early burst from the visitors.
2 mins: Australia 0-0 France - France, top to toe in royal blue get first use and after a couple of shunts Couilloud box kicks deep. Australia build a couple of phases through the middle of the park but when they head left Penaud intercepts and has a clear run to the line, but play is called back for a previous offside. Australia’s kick fails to find touch and play returns to halfway.
Kick-off!
Australia’s first international for 2021 is underway...
Gary Ella’s slickly produced Welcome to Country precedes the anthems, beginning with France’s showstopper. The same tune is used down the road as the club song for AFL outfit Brisbane Lions.
Nobody has mimicked Advance Australia Fair, to the best of my knowledge, but it was given a stirring rendition by the men in gold.
By contrast, Australia charge through the gate to some polite applause and a couple of flashes of controlled pyro.
Out stride France onto Suncorp Stadium. They do so anonymously, with as little fanfare as you can imagine for a full international.
🦘Former Wallaby Gary Ella will perform a special Welcome to Country tonight to honor NAIDOC week and to #HealCountry#NAIDOC2032 #Wallabies #YourTeam pic.twitter.com/nhiM0UZI4k
— Wallabies (@wallabies) July 7, 2021
While we’re focussed on tonight’s clash, there’s plenty more international rugby doing the rounds at the moment, headlined by a Lions tour. Although this one was never going to go smoothly.
This is the first contest between these sides since 2016. That’s a long time to be avoiding each other in such a small community. And that one-off is the only time these sides have met since November 2014! There were reciprocal tours that year with Australia convincing winners on home soil and France edging the one-off Test in Paris.
Australia have historically enjoyed this match-up, losing only twice in the past 11 Tests. Les Bleues have not beaten the Wallabies outside France since 1990.
Updated
Conditions are cool and clear and still in Brisbane following a mild day. C’est magnifique.
🟡🟢 𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗕𝗔𝗡𝗘 !
— France Rugby (@FranceRugby) July 7, 2021
H-2 avant le coup d'envoi 🤩#AUSFRA #NeFaisonsXV #XVdeFrance @wallabies pic.twitter.com/egjKvW0f9P
“A big message this week was ‘take shots’,” says the injured James O’Connor on the Australian TV coverage. He mumbled some other stuff too, about structures and combinations, but it all drifted meaninglessly up into the Queensland night sky.
By the way, the TV coverage on Nine/Stan is off to a solid start. It is the same identikit modern sports content you’d find anywhere on anything, but anchored by Nick McArdle there’s a warmth and charm about it.
Not only are Australia and France playing for national pride tonight, on the line is the Trophée des Bicentenaires. I’ve cribbed the following about it from Wikipedia.
To celebrate the bi-centenaries of Australia and of the French Revolution, in 1988 and 1989 respectively, the French Rugby Union donated the Trophée des Bicentenaires to be played in perpetuity between the two countries. It is a bronze sculpture featuring two players in a tackle. Although the trophy dates from 1988, it was first contested in 1989.
Australia are the current holders after winning the last clash between these two sides back in 2016.
L'anecdote dont tout le monde se fout. Ce truc (Trophée des bicentenaires entre la Fr et l'Au) a été crée à l’occasion de ce match.
— surlatouche.fr (@surlatouche_fr) November 5, 2019
De rien. pic.twitter.com/FZRV3Q60pA
If you’re still looking for reading material to pass the time, here’s the latest on former Wallaby Israel Folau.
In case you’ve missed any of the lead-in to this series, get up to speed with Bret Harris.
Expect a more aggressive Australia now that Dave Rennie has his feet under the table:
Last week he urged the Wallabies to find their “dark side” in the three-Test series against France, starting on 7 July in Brisbane. This was not a throwaway line, but seemingly an official command to the Wallabies to show more ruthlessness.
And on home soil, against a depleted France, anything other than a resounding series win will not do:
The Wallabies not only have to beat France, but beat them comprehensively to demonstrate they are capable of recapturing their former glory on the road to the 2023 World Cup.
France XV
It is a second-string France that has made the trip to the southern hemisphere. Last week’s Top 14 final between Toulouse and La Rochelle was too soon for any international representatives to complete the necessary quarantine protocols.
The result is a squad featuring seven debutants. Lock Romain Taofifenua is the most capped Frenchman on display with 25, and only four of his teammates have reached double figures for international appearances.
With a six-two split between forwards and backs on the bench, Coach Fabien Galthié has signalled France’s intentions clearly.
🇦🇺🇫🇷 La tournée d'été du #XVdeFrance en Australie commence mercredi ! #AUSFRA
— France Rugby (@FranceRugby) July 3, 2021
Voici 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐞́𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐩𝐞 pour ce premier match à Brisbane ! ✊ #NeFaisonsXV pic.twitter.com/C50ctsOyWQ
Australia XV
Dave Rennie has leaned heavily on the Brumbies (nine) and Reds (six) in the Wallabies’ 23-man squad. But it’s a Waratahs scrum-half, Jake Gordon, who gets the nod to start at No 9 in place of the injured Nic White. Gordon’s tactical kicking will be important but Queensland’s Tate McDermott will no doubt add some guile off the bench later on.
💛💚 #YourTeam for TONIGHT! #Wallabies #AUSvFRA
— Wallabies (@wallabies) July 7, 2021
🗓️ Wednesday 7 July 8pm AEST
🎟️: https://t.co/NdyMrm0Lmo
📺: @9Gem & @StanSportAU pic.twitter.com/tSjsqHE0wK
Preamble
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of the Wallabies v France, Australia’s first international of 2021. Kick-off at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium is 8pm.
It’s been an age since the draw-filled run of fixtures at the back end of last year, making this triple-header against France vital preparation for the Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship, beginning in August.
So far that preparation has not been straightforward. Australia’s franchises were trounced in the Trans-Tasman portion of the Super Rugby season, and now Covid-related lockdowns have disrupted scheduling. Instead of a rare visit to the SCG, we’re returning at short notice to Queensland’s biggest rectangular stadium.
Injuries to the likes of playmakers James O’Connor and Nic White have further complicated this run of three games in just 11 days. Dave Rennie, coaching his second block of matches in charge of the Wallabies, is playing a straight bat. “The whole squad has been training really hard over the past three weeks to prepare for what’s going to be an exciting, tough series against the French,” Rennie said. “We’ve always selected a side based on earning the right to wear the jersey and this team is no different.”
Speaking of the jersey, Australia will be running out in one decidedly orangier than recent iterations.
Back in January the 1991 Rugby World Cup-winning jersey was chosen as the definitive shade of Wallabies gold and will now form the basis of international playing strips. “To have consistency in the colour of the gold jersey moving forward is a powerful statement,” Mark Brunton, Managing Director for ASICS Oceania, said, presumably with a straight face.
Tonight’s match finds Australia ranked seventh in the world, their joint-lowest in history, against fifth-ranked France. Les Bleues have been climbing steadily since they bottomed out at tenth in the world in 2019. That includes finishing second in the past two Six Nations Championships. Coach Fabien Galthié has won 11 of 15 matches in charge.
I’ll be back with line-ups and more shortly, and if you want to contribute anything to tonight’s blog, you can do so by sending me emails or tweets.
🇦🇺 It's game day Australia! This is your first team for 2021!
— Wallabies (@wallabies) July 6, 2021
⏰ 8:00pm AEST
🎟️: https://t.co/NdyMrm0Lmo
📺: @9Gem & @StanSportAU#AUSvFRA pic.twitter.com/Ywnjjmbtgn
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