Reshuffled France push Wales into a deeper hole
France’s reshuffled side scored five tries in rallying to a stunning 45-24 win away over Wales in the Six Nations yesterday.
Prop Georges-henri Colombe came off the bench to score a debut try that finally turned the momentum as coach Fabien Galthie answered his critics in style.
For Wales coach Warren Gatland, this was a fourth defeat of the tournament and a bad one, considering his side led 24-20 with 20 minutes left.
Rock-bottom Wales have lost 11 of their last 12 Six Nations matches and host Italy next weekend with the wooden spoon a real possibility. Galthie will feel fully vindicated. After being routed by Ireland and then having last-second outcomes against Scotland (non-try) and Italy (hit goalpost), he responded by making eight changes, including three debuts.
They were 2.03m lock Emmanuel Meafou — born to Samoan parents in New Zealand and raised in Australia — centre Nicolas Depoortere and fullback Leo Barre. Thomas Ramos was shifted from fullback to first five in a makeshift pairing with halfback Nolann Le Garrec.
It looked ominous when France gave away a penalty within a minute and first five Sam Costelow slotted the kick. Ramos levelled following several phases of play, but poor defending allowed Wales left winger Rio Dyer to collect near the halfway line and burst through for a converted try and 10-3 lead.
Ramos kept France in touch and veteran midfield back Gae¨l Fickou put Les Tricolores ahead with a try in the right corner following an overlap. He was fed by right winger Damian Penaud before breaking Dyer’s tackle near the line for his second try of the tournament and 16th overall.
The lead lasted barely two minutes as France’s sieve-like midfield was exposed. Depoortere missed a tackle, Owen Watkin dummied inside and fed halfback Tomos Williams to sprint clear.
Neither team could hold the lead in a breathless first half and, with only 30 minutes played, Le Garrec grabbed his first international try after Fickou bulldozed his way near the line.
France went into the break 20-17 up but fell behind within three minutes of the restart as Joe Roberts crashed through poor tackles and rolled over the line for a converted try.
That made it 24-20 and home fans were singing.
France kept pushing forward and No 8 Gre´gory Alldritt’s pick-and-go took him close to the line. Lock Thibaud Flament burrowed over, but TMO ruled out the try for Flament dropping the ball.
World class winger Penaud forced Wales into an offside and Ramos nailed the penalty to make it a onepoint game with 20 minutes left. Following another Penaud run, France gained field position to send Colombe crashing over. TMO upheld the try, which Ramos converted for 30-24.
That was soon 37-24 as rattled Wales conceded a sloppy try, with replacement lock Romain Taofifenua batting down Gareth Davies’ kick with both hands, collecting the ball and making the left corner.
Ramos provided the extras and made it 8/8 with a late penalty.
His only miss of the day came after replacement halfback Maxime Lucu took Penaud’s offload and dived into the right corner in the 80th.
Next up for France are tournament contenders England on Sunday. — AP