A late try from Rob Simmons wasn’t enough to prevent France from edging the Wallabies, 29-26, in Paris this morning

by Paul Cook –

The Wallabies have suffered their first defeat under new coach Michael Cheika, going down 29-26 in Paris to a French side vastly improved from the team that buckled in the three test series in Australia back in June.

A fast start from Les Bleus had the Wallabies playing catch up for most of the first half but they rallied well to get within a point at the break and looked set to go on with it after the restart. However, the French kicked on, taking advantage of some poor discipline from the visitors to lead 29-19 with little more than 10 minutes remaining and despite a late try from Rob Simmons offering hope of a final twist in the tail, the hosts hung on for what was a deserved victory in the end.

Early pressure from the Wallabies almost brought instant success, Sekope Kepu, playing his 50th test for Australia, charging down a clearing kick but when the ball fell loose, a surprised Simmons knocked on with the line begging.

France weathered the storm and a crossfield kick into the hands of Yoann Huget soon had them on the front foot, Israel Folau and Adam Ashley-Cooper getting in each other’s way, allowing Huget to race down the sideline and feed inside to Scott Spedding but the Wallabies scrambled well to shepherd the fullback into touch.

However, Les Bleus weren’t to be denied. Continued pressure earned a 5 metre scrum in the 7th minute from which halfback Sébastien Tillous-Borde profited from a misread in defence from Tevita Kuridrani to snipe his way over from a metre.

Flyhalf Camille Lopez added the extras but the Wallabies were on the board from the restart, France going off their feet and Bernard Foley slotting the penalty to make it 7-3 in favour of the hosts after 10 minutes.

What had been a feisty opening with plenty of off the ball ‘discussions’ continued when France took exception to a bone rattler from Ben McCalman – perfectly legal – after Pascal Pape took a quick throw in an attempt to catch the Wallabies unawares. Referee Nigel Owens intervened, calling in both captains for peacekeeping talks and when play resumed, French pressure earned an offside penalty and Lopez re-opened a 7pt gap.

French scrumhalf Sébastien Tillous-Borde clears the ruck

Foley reduced the arrears with 3pts of his own as the game entered it’s second quarter with both sides keen to play at a high tempo. But it was the French who offered the greater threat, mixing their game up nicely with plenty of crossfield kicks, grubbers and chips in behind while utilising the full width of the field.

By contrast, the Wallabies showed plenty of intent but were struggling to get across the advantage line as the French line speed and starch in the tackle continued to be a significant upgrade on their efforts Down Under five months ago where they went down with barely a whimper.

Just before the half hour, the home side had their second. Wing sensation Teddy Thomas was playing only his second game for the national side but after showing a bit of test match inexperience with some of his defensive play up to that point, he soon illustrated just why he is being lauded as the next big thing in French rugby, adding to his debut hat-trick last weekend against Fiji with a superb individual effort.

Receiving the ball on the Wallaby 10 metre line, he fended off the first gold jersey before jinking his way through three more, stepping Nick Phipps and outpacing Ashley-Cooper to run around to the posts for his fourth international try. Some start for the 21-year-old.

Firmly at the opposite end of the international experience scale is Ashley-Cooper, featuring in his 102nd test in Wallaby colours. And it was he who brought Australia back into the match with a much needed try five minutes before half-time. He had his forwards to thank though, the pack muscling up as one to drive a lineout maul some 15-odd metres towards the posts before the ball was sent wide for the elusive Foley to beat his man and put a spinning Ashley-Cooper in for the 30th try of his illustrious test career.

A long range penalty from ‘Iceman’ Foley brought it back to a one point ball game as the French fire was temporarily doused by an increasingly confident Wallaby outfit and as the opening stanza came to a close in front of the 44,000 inside the Stade de France, momentum had begun to swing the way of the tourists.

A penalty three minutes into the second forty from Lopez soon arrested that momentum and the Wallabies were served further notice when a high shot from Michael Hooper saw a long range attempt from the flyhalf fall just short.

But they can consider themselves harshly done by when referee Owens then pinged Sean McMahon for a lifting tackle after the whistle for Lopez to strike three more. The Melbourne Rebels tyro didn’t lift his man over the horizontal, brought him to ground safely and was already committed to the tackle when the whistle blew but Owens was unmoved.

Sekope Kepu’s 50th test didn’t end with the win the loyal Wallaby servant deserved

Foley kept the visitors in the hunt when the French went offside in the 53rd minute but the Wallabies were still finding it hard to penetrate an enthusiastic and combative French line.

Coach Michael Cheika rang the changes either side of the hour mark, Will Skelton, Rob Horne and Quade Cooper joining the fray with Foley shifting to inside centre in a change of tack designed to try and prise open some spaces for the under used strike runners, Kuridrani and Folau, to take advantage.

Ill discipline has been a feature of the Wallabies performances this year and another indiscretion was punished in the 64th minute by the unerring Lopez. His personal tally stalled at 16pts when French coach Philippe Saint-André replaced him with Remi Tales but it was fellow substitute Rory Kockott that poured more salt onto Australian wounds, the South African born scrumhalf adding another 3pts after Will Skelton infringed at a lineout.

A nerve jangling finish was ensured when Tales went to the bin for a professional foul with the Wallabies knocking on the door but a spill by Skelton from the ensuing tap-and-go penalty appeared to have ended any hopes of a late turnaround. However, a rare surge from Folau got them back within range and when the ball was recycled, great hands from the fullback and then Quade Cooper put Rob Simmons through a hole for his maiden test try.

It was game on when Foley added the extras and with three minutes remaining and a man advantage, the Wallabies suddenly sniffed victory. But having got themselves in position to strike once more, another handling error eventually cemented victory for the French and some degree of payback for the June whitewash.

Twelve handling errors from the Wallabies, a record for a test match in 2014, tells its own story and while there were pockets of huge promise for Australia across the eighty minutes, an inability to bend the line coupled with some disjointed defence as they continue to adjust to the details of Cheika and Nathan Grey, left them at the mercy of a French side that finally look like they may be coming to the party on Saint-André’s watch.

France 29 (Sébastien Tilles-Bourde, Teddy Thomas tries; Camille Lopez 2 cons, 4 pens, Rory Kockott pen) defeated Australia 26 (Adam Ashley-Cooper, Rob Simmons tries; Bernard Foley 2 cons, 4 pens)