World Cup hosts France completed their warm-up campaign ahead of the start of next month’s showpiece tournament with an impressive 34-7 win against Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday.
In a lively match, France, who’ve yet to win the World Cup, outscored Wales by four tries to one, although the home side did have the consolation of becoming the first side in two hours of Test rugby to score a try against Bernard Laporte’s men, with flyhalf James Hook having the honour.
”It was really difficult today [Sunday],” admitted Hook.
”They attacked well and kept their width and it was hard to defend against. We showed glimpses of what we can do but the French look very good and we struggled to deal with them.”
Laporte, who made 11 changes to the starting line-up that beat world champions England 22-9 last week, said: ”What is re-assuring is that despite the changes, the players played with the same spirit. But to
win the World Cup we need to do it again from September 7 [when France play their opening match against Argentina].
”It was difficult out there but our defence was excellent and there was a real desire to move the ball, especially in the second 20 minutes of the first-half.”
Although Wales coach Gareth Jenkins predicted France would play a power-orientated game, they ran the ball in the early stages, with fullback Cedric Heymans repeatedly counter-attacking.
A fine handling move involving Heymans and back-row forward Serge Betsen, captaining France for the first time, ended near the Welsh line when outside-half Lionel Beauxis knocked on.
But France did take the lead in the fourth minute when, after Wales openside flanker Martyn Williams was offside, Beauxis kicked a penalty.
Wales tried to counter but found life tough against a well-organised French defence, although fit-again wing Shane Williams did make the occasional break.
France always looked the more likely to score the opening try and did so in the 13th minute when powerful running from hooker Dimitri Szarzewski, right wing Aurelien Rougerie and openside Remy Martin led to a try for second row Jerome Thion, which Beauxis converted.
The Six Nations champions continued to maintain the pressure and a clever kick from centre Yannick Jauzion almost led to a try for Vincent Clerc.
But the left wing, under pressure from Martyn Williams, was ruled not to have grounded the ball by the television match official.
Minutes later Martin also went close and again English referee Wayne Barnes opted for a replay before denying France the score.
France though did get a 5m scrum. Martyn Williams, a force in both defence and attack, disrupted after the French put-in.
But as the ball came back on Wales’s side, Dwayne Peel’s kick was charged down by number eight Imanol Harinordoquy and France scrumhalf Pierre Mignoni crossed for a try.
However, a generally open game suited Wales and in the final play of the first-half they became the first side to score a try against France in two hours of Test rugby after Laporte’s side had kept out England in their back-to-back wins against the World Cup holders.
Martyn Williams’s break was well-supported by James Hook, who ran on to the pass at pace. Although replays suggested doubt over the grounding, Barnes awarded the try himself.
Outside-half Hook converted his own score and France were 17-7 ahead at half-time.
Both teams, conscious this was their last match before the World Cup, brought on several replacements early in the second-half before another Beauxis penalty extended France’s lead.
The raft of changes made the game a looser contest. France, running the ball from behind their own line, saw replacement scrumhalf Jean-Baptiste Elissalde’s kick downfield almost lead to a try for Rougerie before Wales’s reserve number nine, Mike Phillips, covered the danger.
But minutes later Beauxis sent in Rougerie for a try under the posts.
Wales, who saw skipper Gareth Thomas stretchered off late in the game, kept pressing and it needed a superb tackle from substitute back Damien Traille, which forced a knock-on, to deny Shane Williams a try metres from the line.
France though had the final word when reserve hooker Sebastien Bruno crossed for a last-minute try from a close-range line-out, converted by Elissalde. — Sapa-AFP