Australia edge France to clinch 3-Test series
BRISBANE, Australia, July 17, (AP): Australia played with 14 men for most of the match but sensationally overcame France with a late penalty goal for a 33-30 win to clinch the threematch test series on Saturday.
With less than two minutes remaining in the series decider, flyhalf Noah Lolesio slotted the crucial three points to give Australia the win.
The Wallabies had played almost the entire match with just 14 players after winger Marika Koroibete was handed a contentious red card for a high tackle five minutes into the match.
Lolesio accounted for 23 of the Wallabies’ points with a try, three conversions and four penalty goals.
Koroibete was red-carded for his tackle on French captain Anthony Jelonch. New Zealand referee Ben O’Keeffe and his assistants deliberated for several minutes before determining Koroibete had raced in from a distance and contacted him high without any mitigating factors.
The French raced ahead 10-0 but the Wallabies fought back to lead before Lolesio kicked the hosts clear with 90 row at the stadium dating to 2016 and capped a tight series that had featured two-point wins to both sides in a threematch series compressed over 11 days.
Australia had already lost their other winger, Filipo Daugunu, who injured his arm in a tackle inside the first 90 seconds of his test return.
French halfback Baptiste Couilloud then ran over his opposite number Tate McDermott for the game’s first try. McDermott had an immediate reply though, racing to link up with Michael Hooper after Lolesio had put the captain through a gap in the French defense.
RUGBY
A Lolesio intercept try put the Wallabies ahead before a string of unforced errors allowed France flanker Cameron Woki to score a try and the sides went to halftime level at 20-20.
Pierre-Louis Barassi finished a 90-meter play for a French try but prop Taniela Tupou’s arrival after 46 minutes paid off when he barged over.
The teams traded penalties after that, both teams missing one each as well, before Lolesio nailed the matchwinner. France had one last attempt with a penalty on halfway, but Darcy Swain forced the turnover after the visitors opted to kick for touch and go for the try.
Meanwhile, Fiji-born winger Sevu Reece scored three first-half tries against his native country as New Zealand beat Fiji 60-13 to sweep the teams’ first-ever two-match series.
Reece was born in Nadi, Fiji and followed the path of many of his countrymen in seeking an education in New Zealand before committing to play rugby for his adoptive nation. He touched down in the 14th, 30th and 35th minutes to give the All Blacks a commanding 29-6 lead by halftime.
Fiji rocked New Zealand with their physical play in the first test of the series last weekend, stretching the All Blacks before four second-half tries to replacement hooker Dane Coles lifted the home side to a 57-23 win.
The Flying Fijians again tested New Zealand early in Saturday’s match, scoring the first points from a penalty to Ben Volavola and trailing by only 10-6 after 30 minutes. The All Blacks were booed by their own fans in the 28th minute when, leading 7-6, they opted for a kick at goal from an attacking penalty.
The match swung heavily in New Zealand’s favor in the last 10 minutes of the first half when a series of errors and moments of indiscipline from Fiji yielded three tries and gave the All Blacks a 23-point halftime lead.
In the 30th minute, fullback Kini Murimurivalu, under no pressure, dropped a high kick on his own 22 and allowed the All Blacks an attacking scrum. As the New Zealand pack trundled forward, scrumhalf Aaron Smith and flyhalf Richie Mo’unga attacked down the blindside, creating the chance for Reece to score.
Five minutes later, Reece was in again. Mo’unga took a quick tap from a penalty while Fiji captain Leone Nakarawa was still addressing his team after a series of defensive penalties. The ball went quickly to Reece, who walked over outside a compact defense.
Nakarawa was sent to the sin-bin just before halftime and the All Blacks immediately capitalized with a try to backrower Ardie Savea in his 50th test.