Bulldozer: Louis Picamoles
Related links
Teams
Also see
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
Rosbif says...
What can I say? I'm feeling both very happy and rather foolish to have doubted France in the build-up.....
melkdave, again, what can I say? you were right. carpelone, i shall learn not to side with Aussies before a game, maybe not from pure principle, but I see where you're coming from.
To all the Aussies out there, your team did not play that badly tonight. Deans is not a bad coach. There were large periods in the first half where you were the better team. France just had one of those nights. 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.
Freddie did the rest :-)
Posted 23:32 10th November 2012
Oceansnz says...
you know, I don't really support the Wobblies or SA, but I must admit I do feel proud about southern hemisphere teams doing well up north.
But today...geez, OZ. You guys are embarrassing.
Posted 23:31 10th November 2012
lacroix says...
extraordinary. both teams performances surprised me enormously,
i certainly did not expect the wallaby scrum to be that poor.
melkdave and others- you called it right. i still doubt the logic of it!
Posted 23:25 10th November 2012
costa says...
mikeyj9 says...When was the last time we scored a try?
Three hours of rugby ago, Ioane v Argentina. This was 4th match Wallabies have not scored a try. 12 tries in twelve tests this year. 6 wins.
Mike Harris said pre-match they wanted to score more tries and had some new backline moves. Did anyone notice them?
Where to from here?
England!!!
Posted 23:22 10th November 2012
Toulousain says...
I kept very quiet about this match in the build-up. But now the wait is finally over. Finally PSA gets a decent showing from his EDF.
Fred we love you! So happy for the team and everyone involved in French rugby. Such a good boost for the next young generation The future is bright if we play like this every time we take to the field. Bravo les gars! ALLEZ!!
(I'm half curious to see what the SH bloggers will have to say about this - only half curious, because we all kind of know what's coming from the usual suspects, georgesmith? - what's the SH word for "whingers" hehehehe ??)
Posted 23:08 10th November 2012
KiwiLad says...
Trinats2, what was your prediction again???
Robbies fault???
Posted 22:54 10th November 2012
georgesmith says...
Well, this is what you get when you have R. Deans as coach and grandpa N.Sharpe as captain. Did N.Sharpe play in the game. I couldn't see him. He became invisible among the Blues. Get rid to the rot first (R. Deans) then we can get rid of over-rated players like N.Sharpe, D. Dennis and S. Kepu, who is a real shame for the Wallabies.
Posted 22:53 10th November 2012
Isograford says...
Ah the Wallabies, surely right up there with the French in terms of inconsistency.
As usual, after the draw with the All Blacks they probably went into this game thinking they'd turned the corner and were World Beaters. As McCaw said in his book, that's when the Aussies usually trip over themselves.
Posted 22:53 10th November 2012
costa says...
preest - name your team changes then.
apart from Genia - though think he would struggle with the 5 second rule (SKY TV showed him as an example of slow play with an 11-second delay)
face it, hammered, or i prefer the espn description 'pummeled' shows what a fluke the result v nz was, one team had a bad day.
England next week, sure the qantas lads can pick up by then. Note Deans said they were 'denied access to the tryline' for goodness sake why not admit they were pathetic on the day instead of more excuses we have had all year from the wallabies.
Simmons should miss a game for that tackle. Cited? More blind officials.
Congratulations France, and what wonderful crowd support. Best start possible for the France team (though a NIL to opposition might have been better)
Posted 22:53 10th November 2012
TVaddict says...
Well the good French team turned up today, but will it next week?
This will do wonders for their rankings, 5th place beating 2nd place by more than 15 points. My calculations get that France will move up to 4th with 84.58 and Australia move down to third with 84.82, with South Africa moving up to 2nd with 85.51.
Posted 22:49 10th November 2012
mikeyj9 says...
Also, As much as I appreciate the commitment of Patty Mccabe, it's too easy to defend, he's gotta go. Cummins played well.
the English press will be going to town on the abomination that is the Wallaby scrum.
Phipps was appalling, isn't Luke Burgess nearby?
Posted 22:48 10th November 2012
mikeyj9 says...
too many passes thrown to players ears and feet, too flat in attack, no one running on to the ball, just standing flat footed, too many players committing to the ruck leaving short in attack and defense, dave dennis, nick phipps, no one can catch a high ball, back to useless kicking mentality when things aren't going well, no game plan was evident.
When was the last time we scored a try? why are our backs more muscular than our forwards
I'm not a fan of robbie deans, keep it tight and hope, style of play, but he's an ok coach, problems lie in execution.
France were pretty awesome though, guess it was one of their "on" nights. Michalak looks like he learnt a thing or two playing S15.
looks like a hard tour ahead for the green and gold.
Posted 22:37 10th November 2012
BradS says...
France's B team flogs Australia's B team.... We clearly lack depth
Posted 22:34 10th November 2012
letsgoboks says...
ouch
Posted 22:31 10th November 2012
s15rules says...
queue the whinging waste of space george smith! and his his excuse making twin trinats2.
well done france!
aus looked better with barnes on the field beale gave the game away with wait for it, a bad chip kick,then patted michelak on the back as beale did his quade copper style tackle
just shows there last game proves even the sun shines on a dogs ass some days!
Posted 22:29 10th November 2012
irishaussie says...
australia badly exposed in the front row, no one should be surprised by this vicious massacre at the hands of the french who were magnificent
Posted 22:25 10th November 2012
Chiefporky says...
Well next week England will fancy their chances.
I live in Oz and all the call will be for Deans to go but I don't think that is the problem.
He doesn't pack down in the scrum or throw passes.
In NZ his teams were full of players that were already technically and mentally in tune before they made his squad.
Here the Wallabies skill set is well below par and he shouldn't have to teach his players the basics, just fine tune game plans etc.
Posted 22:16 10th November 2012
froggy73 says...
@Trinats and jonesy2: I can't wait for your comments !!
The editor says.... froggy73: That makes two of us!
Posted 22:16 10th November 2012
Trader2 says...
Well thats the last time I will agree with Trinats but I did qualify my prediction of a Wannabie win with a lament about their forward pack, I just didn't see them being that bad, it's that old cattle thing again and the Wannabies haven't got them. The backs were not much better but then again they got no front foot ball for the whole match. Well done France, proved your own supporters (well the PR ones anyway) how wrong they were to doubt you, Complete domination really and some great new players coming through, I guess the only question is was that Wannabie rabble a decent measuring stick?
Posted 22:08 10th November 2012
melkdave says...
Well what a performance by France glad i was optomistic about them for this game lol.That was a hammering in every aspect except the score,and lets remember Australia should have been down to 14 men for the spear tackle on Nyanga ,and would have been if the perp could have been identified.Hopefully citing commisioner will sort that out ,and annother wallaby can go home for his thuggery.Also perhaps now wallaby fans will accept their scrum is absolutly rubbish.Hopefully England can do a similar job next week.Still the wallabies never gave up and tried ,they showed alot of sprit if nothing else.
Posted 22:07 10th November 2012