France edge out Wallabies to level series

France drew level in their three-Test series with Australia when they beat the Wallabies 28-26 at AAMI Park in Melbourne on Wednesday.

For the second successive week, the result was in the balance until the end but France were deserved winners and their victory is a momentous one as it is the first time since 1990 that they have beaten the Wallabies on Australian soil.

Melvyn Jaminet was Les Bleus’ hero as he finished with a 23-point haul courtesy of seven penalties and a conversion, with their other points coming via a five-pointer from Damian Penaud.

For Australia, Jake Gordon and Michael Hooper scored tries while Noah Lolesio added two conversions and four penalties.

France gained an early lead courtesy of a Jaminet penalty from the halfway line in the second minute but the Wallabies struck back when Marika Koroibete crossed the whitewash shortly afterwards after a mazy run in the build-up.

His effort was disallowed, however, after television replays revealed a handling error from Tom Wright in the build-up.

Another three-pointer off the kicking tee from Jaminet gave the visitors a 6-0 lead but Lolesio reduced the deficit to three points when he opened Australia’s account with a penalty of his own in the 18th minute.

Soon after, Les Bleus launched an attack from just inside their half with Penaud finding himself in space down the right-hand touchline but he did well to throw an inside pass to Cameron Woki.  The flanker returned the favour and Penaud cantered in for the opening try which Jaminet converted.

The next 15 minutes was an arm wrestle as the sides battled to gain the ascendancy and Lolesio and Jaminet traded further penalties which meant France held a 16-6 lead by the 35th minute.

Just before half-time, the Wallabies were hammering away at Les Bleus’ try-line and after Matt Philip was stopped just short of the whitewash, Taniela Tupou got a delightful skip pass out to Gordon, who went over in the left-hand corner.  Lolesio did well to land the conversion from close to the touchline which meant France held a slender 16-13 lead at the interval.

The Wallabies made the brighter start to the second half and in the 46th minute Lolesio drew his side level when he slotted his second penalty.  However, it was all France for the next 15 minutes as the Wallabies lost some of their defensive shape, especially at the breakdowns where they were penalised on several occasions.

France level the series 1-1 🇫🇷 It all comes down to the decider this Saturday.

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— StanSportAU (@StanSportAU) July 13, 2021

And when it was within goal-kicking range Jaminet made them pay.  The young full-back showed his class as he slotted three consecutive penalties which gave France a 25-16 lead by the 63rd minute.

The Wallabies needed a response and that came in the 71st minute when Tom Banks tore France’s defence to shreds with a superb line break.  He got a pass out to Andrew Kellaway, who was brought to ground deep inside Les Bleus’ 22 but he did well to offload to Hooper, who scored in the corner.

Once again, Lolesio succeeded with a difficult conversion and the match was evenly poised with France holding a slender two-point lead.

The game’s closing stages were tense and the Wallabies thought they had clinched the result when Lolesio added his fourth penalty in the 75th minute, after Demba Bamba strayed offside on defence.

There was still another twist in the tale, however, and Bamba made up for his earlier indiscretion when he put great pressure on the Wallabies scrum in the 78th minute.

Referee James Doleman penalised the home side at the set-piece and up stepped Jaminet, who held his nerve to slot the resulting place-kick which also secured the win for his team.