France vs Australia LIVE rugby: Result and final score as late Damian Penaud try snatches victory
The Wallabies led late after impressive tries from Lalakai Foketi and Jock Campbell, but Damian Penaud’s brilliance seized the win for the French at the death
Damian Penaud scored a late try to give France a hard-fought record 11th consecutive victory as they beat Australia 30-29 at the Stade de France in their autumn international on Saturday.
The Wallabies’ Lalakai Foketi scored a sensational try and Jock Campbell added another with Bernard Foley kicking the rest of the points for the visitors, who did a great job at keeping France‘s mercurial scrumhalf Antoine Dupont in check.
Fabien Galthie’s side however ground through the game and winger Penaud scored the winner to add to Julien Marchand’s try, while Thomas Ramos’s metronomic boot secured their other points.
France, who take on South Africa in Marseille next Saturday, improved on their record of consecutive victories that dated back to the 1930s.
Having not played together since the last Six Nations tournament as the squad who toured Japan in July was largely reshuffled, France lacked their usual bite but somehow pulled off a victory after a rough battle.
Australia, who had recalled experienced flyhalf Foley in August, defended stoutly and attacked when it mattered, only losing their way in the final five minutes.
Foley put the visitors ahead with an early penalty as Australia started strongly, only for Ramos to cancel out the advantage with a 30-metre penalty and then give Les Bleus the lead with a 48-metre kick.
After Foley’s second penalty, France touched down through Charles Ollivon, only for the try to be ruled out for a double movement. Minutes later, Australia effectively scored the first try at the end of a blistering counter attack, Foketi diving over after collecting Tom Wright’s pass inside the French 22.
France had a spell of domination and were rewarded with two Ramos penalties but for the first time in four years Les Bleus faced the prospect of being behind at halftime at the Stade de France.
However, Marchand scored a pivotal try in stoppage time from a strong ruck and Ramos added the extra points to give France a six-point lead at the interval with the score at 19-13.
Foley and Ramos traded penalties early in the second half, but Australia struck the first blow when Campbell went over after a fine collective move before Foley converted to give the Wallabies a one-point advantage and fresh momentum.
Foley kicked for three points again before Ramos also did so and, with five minutes left, Hodge added another penalty to leave France with a try to score for a win that looked elusive. But Penaud beat two tackles to touch down with four minutes left and gave his team another confidence boost a year before the World Cup on home soil.
Scotland 21-12 Fiji, 66 minutes
That is Lomani’s final act. Peni Matawalu, younger brother of former Glasgow star Niko, comes on at scrum half.
Scotland 21-12 Fiji, 64 minutes
It’s not quite clicking for Fiji. Frank Lomani searches for the right runner as a pod of forwards to his right over-run the play, and Levani Botia fails to hold on to Lomani’s slightly indeterminate fling.
Scotland 21-12 Fiji, 63 minutes
A high tackle given against Scotland, now. It looks Jonny Gray is the man picked out - Teti Tela boots Fiji down into the 22.
Yellow card! Vinaya Habosi is sent to the sin bin! Scotland 21-12 Fiji, 62 minutes
Oof, it’s not the nicest from Vinaya Habosi, his arm swinging through on to the jaw of Rory Sutherland. The officials mitigate down from red to yellow on the basis that Sutherland is stooped very low, and that the swinging arm brushes the replacement prop’s shoulder first.
Scotland 21-12 Fiji, 62 minutes
A miscue from Fiji at the maul! Those set-piece errors have really cost the visitors this afternoon.
Vinaya Habosi then appears to make significant contact with the chin of a stooping Rory Sutherland - this will require another look from the officials.
Scotland 21-12 Fiji, 61 minutes
A flying Fijian! That’s superb from Vinaya Habosi, first showing his vertical spring to beat a better positioned Darcy Graham in the air and then dancing the touchline tightrope, somehow keeping all his limbs in the field of play. Jamie Ritchie spots a loose ball and harpoons it, but it wasn’t quite out - Fiji penalty and into the Scotland 22.
One Gray replaces another - Jonny on, Richie off.
Scotland 21-12 Fiji, 59 minutes
Roars of delight from Fiji - an outstanding, timely turnover from Albert Tuisue! Scotland break away from the maul, Jack Dempsey rather curiously electing to go it alone. Ewan Ashman can’t shift the broad shoulders of Tuisue, and appears to have entered from the side, anyway - Fiji penalty.
Scotland 21-12 Fiji, 58 minutes
A penalty against Fiji and Scotland will go again at the lineout.
Scotland 21-12 Fiji, 57 minutes
Teti Tela has had some passport trouble, and trained only twice ahead of this fixture, but Fiji felt the sole fly-half in their squad would be good to go from the bench - on he comes for Kalaveti Ravouvou, which will push Vilimoni Botitu one wider to the inside centre berth he more often occupies.
Scotland with a lineout five out on the right.
Scotland 21-12 Fiji, 57 minutes
Brilliant from Darcy Graham, the will-o’-the-wisp glimpsed only fleetingly between the tall timbers of the Fijian forward as he jinks through.
Richie Gray takes a more direct route with the advantage coming. Ewan Ashman gets over - but the hooker is turtled and can’t get the ball down.
Held up, back for the penalty.
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