DAMIAN PENAUD SCORED a sensational late try for France tonight as they edged out Australia by one point at the Stade de France.
In a tight affair at the Stade de France, less than 10 months away from the Rugby World Cup, Penaud crossed to secure Les Bleus’ record 11th straight Test win.
🦘 The @wallabies go wide, and it’s a quality finish from Jock Campbell. #AutumnNationsSeries | #FRAvAUS pic.twitter.com/EmUYg88heW
— Autumn Nations Series (@autumnnations) November 5, 2022
France head coach Fabien Galthie was forced into a late change with replacement lock Killian Geraci ruled out due to a knee issue and winger Matthis Lebel taking his place on the bench.
Galthie’s Australia counterpart Dave Rennie made four changes from last weekend’s one-point win over Scotland giving full-back Jock Campbell his first Test start.
As the smoke from the pre-match fireworks dispersed, the Wallabies’ veteran fly-half Bernard Foley opened the scoring with a penalty after four minutes before Thomas Ramos kicked two to put France ahead 6-3 after 10 minutes.
Foley equalised before France’s first foray into the Australia 22m as flanker Charles Ollivon, who lost the France captaincy for this series, was denied his 10th Test try for double movement after 15 minutes.
Less than three minutes later the Stade de France crowd was stunned as the Wallabies went from their own 5m line to score as centre Lalakai Foketi crossed in superb fashion.
Foley kicked the conversion before missing the chance to extend the lead with a simple penalty after 25 minutes.
Ramos cut the deficit to a point with two shots at goal before hooker Julian Marchand claimed the lead for the hosts, Six Nations Grand Slam champions, with a pick and go after a Gael Fickou kick.
Ramos was successful with the extras as Les Bleus led 19-13 at the break.
Two minutes after the interval, 33-year-old Foley, on his 75th Test appearance, made it 19-16 with a penalty with France offside in open play before Ramos re-established a six-point lead.
With half an hour to play Ramos missed for the first time with a shot from 50m before three-quarter Campbell celebrated his maiden international start by sliding over to score for Australia.
Foley added the touchline conversion and Rennie’s side led 23-22 with a little over 20 minutes to go.
The playmaker and Ramos traded penalties to make it 26-25 highlighting why Galthie said in the week his side were preparing for the most difficult final quarter of a game of his three-year tenure.
With five minutes to go Foley’s replacement Reece Hodge repaid Rennie’s faith by kicking a penalty to make it 29-25 but the final word went to Penaud.
He caught substitute Jalibert’s looping pass before beating two would-be tacklers for his 10th Test try.
Ramos missed the difficult conversion but Galthie’s men held on to break the record set in the 1930s.
📊 All the stats and key data from France v Australia in the Autumn Nations Series. Insights provided by @sageuk #SageInsights https://t.co/DHsz3PDPbG
— Autumn Nations Series (@autumnnations) November 5, 2022
Starts with Leo picking the best team available and the form players. Would love to see a backrow of 6 ruddock 7 Van der flier 8 O’brein against ulster. At some stage this season would like to see if teo could play 12 so ringrose can play his natural position of 13 regularly, then Fitzgerald on the wing instead of Kearney.
I agree except I think D. Kearney should be retained and switched to right wing
When you consider the way we were slaughtered at scrum time did Leo and Fogerty completely underestimate the importance of the scrum. The fact we didn’t even have a replacement secondrow on the bench while we had two opensides kinda shows a lack of respect to the set piece
This season Toulon have been beaten in 5 of their 9 matches, by Racing Metro (at home), Castres, Brive, Grenoble and Wasps. Leinster travel to Stade Mayol knowing that only a victory will do.
Game on!
Class player, Very unlucky with injuries definitely far superior and better then Murphy when he’s in form , If he gets back to the form of where he was this time last year I can see RR making Irish 23 this year (6.SOB 7. CH 8. CJS & 20. Ruddock:Conan) I think Leinster and Ireland would benefit if Leinster didn’t have an overflow of back rows with Murphy to Ulster as they need quality/ international back rows ASAP (par Henry) , Leavy to Connacht and Heaslip aboard France to hopefully get back to a higher standard and Leinster play a Backrow of 6.RR 7. SOB 8. JC 20. JVDF with full of young players and future and current international stars
No there out.
Firstly, it’s ‘they’re,’ not ‘there.’ Secondly, while the results are poor, and Leinster are facing a massive, and arguably impossible task, they’re not out yet.
Dreamland
Eh…….like it or lump it Leinster have absolutely no chance in Toulon
Game over
Full stop
How much money are you putting on the match? Obviously you should bet all of it. All the money.
If Leo shows he’s learning from his mistakes and gets selection right for the Ulster game, I’ll put money on Leinster to beat the French
The Bookies love you
St least someone does Gerry
Irish provincial rugby is in a spot of bother
is Ruddock on about the pro 12 ?