/ 11 October 1999

FRANCE BATTLE AGAINST NAMIBIANS

FRENCH fullback Ugo Mola celebrated a personal triumph of three tries here on Friday but it simply flattered a unimpressive French side as they beat Namibia 47-13. The French, booed off at half-time after a series of elementary errors that had left them just 23-13 ahead, outscored the Nambibian farmers by six tries to one but rarely showed the fluency required of a World Cup winner let alone a group winner. Under fire captain Raphael Ibanez was replaced with 15 minutes to go. France had extended their lead early in the second-half as recalled fly-half Christophe Lamaison fed Mola on the blindside and the 26-year-old, who had only retained his place because Thomas Castaignede was ruled out of the tournament on Thursday, touched down for his sixth international try in the corner. Mola, who had been dropped from fly-half following the 54-7 thrashing by the All Blacks earlier this year, added a second seven minutes later after constant French pressure told on the the weary Namibians, who had repelled the French for five minutes on their own line. A pumped up Mola, who had said earlier in the week that he thought he had blown his chance of keeping his place in the team, claimed his hat-trick minutes later cutting in to take a pass from winger Philippe Bernat-Salles and forced his way over despite the despairing tackle of Francois van Rensburg. Winger Arthur Sameulson scored the Namibians’ only try after slicing between the French centres.