Wallabies a test too far for France
Sun, 28 Jun 2009 10:39
Coach Marc Lievremont said a long season and two tough games for France against the All Blacks likely contributed to their defeat against the Wallabies at the end of a demanding tour of Australasia.
Les Bleus crashed from the highs of their split series over the All Blacks to go down 22-6 to Australia on Saturday in a dour Test match that yielded just one try.
Flyhalf Matt Giteau netted all the Wallabies' points from a converted try and five penalty goals, while the French had just two penalty goals to show for their efforts.
Yet again the French leave Australia without a win, with their last success coming 19 years ago and they have now been defeated in their past four encounters with Robbie Deans's well-drilled Wallabies.
Lievremont said his side were disappointed about the way their tour had ended, adding: "They had a better start than us and we paid the price for any mistakes we made."
"Our players were very courageous, but maybe after two hard games [against the All Blacks] and 10-11 months of rugby it was probably one game too many for us," he said.
Les Bleus, who beat the top-ranked All Blacks 27-22 followed by a narrow 14-10 loss last week, paid dearly for their mistakes and ill-discipline, conceding a clutch of penalties.
The Wallabies capitalised, stretching their lead from 10-3 at halftime to a match-winning 22-3 advantage with more than 20 minutes left.
"We did not do too well in the breakdowns and we definitely gave away too many points to Australia," Lievremont said.
"We were playing against a well-organised team and after conceding a few points it became very difficult for us."
The French team, who headed home on Sunday and will not play again until November against South Africa in Paris, believed they may have hit back when Perpignan centre Maxime Mermoz streaked clear off an intercept three minutes into the second half.
But he was called back by the referee and ruled offside, giving Giteau the chance to land his third kick for a 13-3 lead.
"If Maxime Mermoz had scored that intercept try it would have been 10-10 and that was a key to the game, but there was a real difference between the two teams," Lievremont said.
The French coach attempted to freshen up his side after the pitched battles with the All Blacks by making seven changes, but the Wallabies' impenetrable defence snuffed out the visitors with open-side flanker George Smith outstanding in his 99th Test match.
Fullback Damien Traille, making his 71st international appearance, was impressive with his sure handling of the high ball and his raking clearing kicks.
Wing Cedric Heymans, who scored an electrifying solo try in the second Test loss to New Zealand last week, was outshone by his opposite Lachlan Turner, while flyhalf Lionel Beauxis was a peripheral figure before he was replaced injured after 53 minutes.
But the French are satisfied with the overall results of their tour, highlighted by their first win in New Zealand since 1994.
"The win over New Zealand showed the quality of this squad and our players have improved their rugby during the three-week tour," Lievremont said.
"We are starting to find a collective, but maybe this last game was one too many for us."
AFP
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