FRENCH AND WALLABIES MADE TO FIGHT ALL THE WAY FOR WINS
FRANCE 23 ARGENTINA 21 France coach Jacques Brunel admitted a sense of relief after his side held off Argentina’s superb secondhalf comeback to win their World Cup Pool C opener at thetokyo Stadium yesterday.
France were seemingly in total control at 20-3 following tries from Gael Fickou and Antoine Dupont, with 20-year-old fly-half Romain Ntamack converting both before kicking two penalties.
The Pumas, though, made a breakthrough early in the second half when Guido Petti Pagadizabal bundled over from a lineout, before replacement hooker Julian Montoya touched down.
Penalties from Benjamin Urdapilleta then saw Argentina move ahead, before Camille Lopez’s drop goal saw France edge through the closing stages.
“We are relieved of the result, but not totally satisfied with the performance,” Brunel said.
“We have shown hesitations, gaps. It must be rectified to go further in the competition.
“We still have work to do, but we know what to focus on, so that is good.” AUSTRALIA 39 FIJI 21
Australia found salvation in their driving line-out as they yesterday survived a scare to dispatch Fiji iat the Sapporo Dome.
Both teams invited early pressure on to themselves but Fiji also shone and, inside 10 minutes, they had built an 8-0 lead.
Josua Tuisova went on a rampaging run down the right wing and Peceli Yato was on hand to finish off.
However, Michael Hooper side-stepped over from close-range. But it was only brief respite as Fiji renewed their onslaught, harvesting six more points from Ben Volavola’s boot.
Australia were far more ruthless in possession and when they next visited the 22 a try was worked for wing Reece Hodge.
Into the second half they gifted the Islanders their second try as a botched midfield move presented Waisea Nayacalevu with the loose ball.
Shrugging off a tackle, he ran almost half the pitch to cross under the posts with a swallow dive.
There was an air of inevitability to Australia’s next try as repeated lineout drives ended with Latu crossing and, with Levani Botia sin-binned for killing the ball, they produced a carbon copy for the same player to go over again.
The floodgates were now open as Fiji collapsed, with Samu Kerevi and Marika Koroibete completing a one-sided scoreline that was unkind to the Islanders.