The season-defining match? Seems a bit harsh in a season we have had breakthrough wins on the high veldt and against the Blacks, but here it is.
For a one-off test match, there did feel like there was more at stake than just retaining the Trophée des Bicentenaries. If the forwards could come anywhere near parity it would be a pass mark, and the oft-touted back line only needed to play with some adventure to put on a couple of tries and we could all get ourselves to the beach happy, knowing it had been a good year. Anything other than the win and it would feel more like the year that could have been.
A clean kick-off and a win from the lineout, a bullocking run from the Rock and things were looking good. Then a scrum. We didn’t get to see much, as the Wallabies were pinged for going early. They did, but the ref’s mistimed call gets some of the blame.
A worked moved off the back of a lineout, with the defence focusing on Quade; Berrick was at first receiver and threw the inside pass to O’Connor. He jinked through then got the pass off to Ashley-Cooper who was in under the posts. Bieber easily kicked the conversion from in front.
The Wallabies were back to their usual selves from the restart, with France coming away with the ball. A few attacking runs from the Frogs followed and then we had another scrum. Benny A was penalised for taking the scrum down (he appeared to pack with his head lower than his hips). Parra kicked the 3.
The next plays saw some penalty swapping, with Parra and J’OC both kicking 2 from 3. The Frogs then earned a penalty from a Wallaby coming into a maul from the side. They opted for the scrum, and really gave it to the Wallabies, with repeated scrum infringements from the Aussies earning the French a penalty try and Ben Alexander a yellow card. Questions really need to be asked about the implications of Foley leaving the coaching team.
The first half petered out from there, with some great work by J’OC going to waste as no one felt the need to support him, and his turnover went begging. The scoreboard may have said 13-all, but the French were clearly dominating. Would a bit of Dingo-speak turn the boys around for the second half, or were they going to be too busy packing their toiletries for the flight home?
The second half opened with more of the same, with Parra kicking a 45-metre penalty to put the French in the lead and the Wallabies doing a little better in the scum (but by no means doing well), perhaps because “Sloth” Alexander didn’t return from the sin-bin and Fat Cat stayed on. We even managed to win a penalty when the French were pinged for going early.
The Wallabies then did something different. They started keeping the ball in hand, breaking the line with most runs. They nearly crossed the line two or three times, falling just short, until Fat Cat eventually managed to finish the job. J’OC kicked the conversion, to bring up his 100th test point.
Perhaps that try was a deposit in belief, as a snipe from Genia soon saw him cross for another quick try. The try was set up by some great running from Ashley-Cooper in the midfield. J’OC added the extras.
The Wallabies were now full of running, and doing well on defence — Sookface even made a dominant tackle. It nearly made up for the terrible kick he put in a little earlier. J’OC kicked another penalty to put the Aussies two converted tries clear on the scoreboard.
The Aussies were getting the hang of this, even managing to convert a three-on-two overlap, as Sookface managed to hold the pass and draw a defender, the ball going through Beale’s hand to Mitchell who went in for Australia’s fourth. J’OC again converted.
The scoreboard kept ticking over with a J’OC penalty. Then AAC put in a sneaky grubber, Drew getting a good bounce to run in for his second and J’OC getting his umpteenth. The floodgates had opened and the Wallabies seemed unable to even bomb a try, with Rocky crossing but failing to ground the ball, only to have Drew come in for a quick-fire, Siddle-like hat trick and place the ball. J’OC yadda yadda.
The latter was clearly tired of scoring only from the boot, and his good support play was rewarded with a five-pointer of his own. He was unable to convert, but it didn’t really matter as that was the last play of the match.
The Wallabies did well to turn the game around in the second half, taking what was looking like a sure shellacking into a convincing victory — Australia’s biggest ever defeat of the Frogs. Whatever was said at half time, it worked.
Australia 59 (Tries: Ashley-Cooper, Robinson, Genia, Mitchell (3), O’Connor; Conv: O’Connor (6/7); Pens: O’Connor (4/5)), France 16 (Tries: penalty try; Conv: Parra (1/1); Pens: Parra (3/4))
Referee: Bryce Lawrence
