MIGHT HAVE OF BATTLE
The lineout was won and the ball spun to Alldritt. Biggar raced out of the defensive line to close the space, Hadleigh Parkes following him, and initiated a huge contact with the No. 8.
With the help of Justin Tipuric, Biggar held up the Frenchman and won the turnover. Tompkins raced in to pat his fly-half on the back.
A COLOSSAL SHIFT FROM THE CAPTAIN
THEN there were the usual sights and sounds away from the ball.
Wales talisman Alun Wyn Jones put in a typically energetic shift, the kind of effort that defies his age.
In the first half he was the man chasing down a lost cause after a kick had trickled just into the French ingoal area.
After a French try he was the man attempting to charge the conversion down and was the first one ready to chase the kick-off that was to follow.
After Dillon Lewis’s try he was the first man back ready to receive the French restart. He set standards all across the field.
NO.9 ORDERS AS TEMPERS FLARE
WHEN Tomos Williams came on for Gareth Davies he made his voice heard.
In the 58th minute, for a number of phases, he was barking at his forwards: “Get off the f***ing line.”
A full-blooded affair took its toll on the players at times. Leigh Halfpenny, winded from an aerial collision with Alldritt, had to crawl out of Biggar’s way as he dinked a chip in behind in the 34th minute.
Halfpenny was on all fours as he waited for the pain to pass. He received treatment for a full three minutes before gingerly getting back to his feet, strapping his scrum cap up and playing on.