Added time marathon is a killer
FRANCE snatched victory from Wales following an extraordinary and chaotic finale to their match.
The clock showed 99 minutes and 55 seconds when replacement flanker Damien Chouly dotted the ball down after nine penalty scrums, and Camille Lopez slotted over the conversion as France saved their place in the second pot, ahead of the 2019 World Cup draw.
Wales had victory in their sights when Leigh Halfpenny’s sixth penalty gave them an 18-13 lead but France won a fivemetre penalty scrum with a minute left.
Eight scrums later, after Wales prop Samson Lee was shown a yellow card and a series of controversial incidents including a biting allegation, France finally got over the line for the second time.
“I’m an old man but I had never seen anything like this,” said France coach Guy Noves, who responded angrily to a reporter suggesting Wales winger George North had been bitten in stoppage time.
Noves bit his hand and said: “Look, there’s a bite mark, here.”
Lopez scored two penalties and two conversions, making sure Les Bleus will finish the championship in third place, leaving Wales languishing in fifth.
France’s first try had came on seven minutes when Remi Lamerat collected a chip over the top from Lopez and dived over the line. The fly-half slotted home the conversion and added a routine penalty.