Warren Gatland's Wales end Six Nations on losing note as France stay alive
Wales’ poor Guinness Six Nations campaign ended in predictable fashion as France inflicted a 41-28 defeat on Warren Gatland’s team.
Les Bleus ensured the title race with leaders and favourites Ireland ran its distance, as Wales provided some bright moments but were ultimately overpowered, with the Irish left needing victory over England to be crowned champions.
A week after demolishing England at Twickenham, France at times staged another thrilling spectacle of total rugby to triumph in bonus-point fashion.
Wales led through an early George North try that Dan Biggar converted, yet France proved unstoppable on the occasions they reached for the turbo button.
Wing Damian Penaud (2), centres Jonathan Danty and Gael Fickou scored tries, together with prop Uini Atonio, with full-back Thomas Ramos kicking five conversions and two penalties.
Wales, to their credit, kept going in the second half and there were tries for replacements Bradley Roberts and Tomos Williams, and wing Rio Dyer, while Biggar added two more conversions and Leigh Halfpenny one to ensure a losing bonus-point.
But, ultimately, it was a Six Nations campaign that produced four defeats and a fifth-place finish, while it will probably be remembered above anything else for the threat of a players’ strike – albeit averted – over off-field issues ahead of a home game against England.
Wales have just three games left before their World Cup opener against Fiji in Bordeaux and Gatland has a huge amount of work ahead.
Gatland made six changes to his starting line-up, including vastly-experienced trio Biggar, George North and lock Alun Wyn Jones, while number eight Taulupe Faletau won his 100th cap.
France welcomed back Atonio after suspension, with Romain Taofifenua taking over from lock Paul Willemse, who was sidelined due to a hamstring injury.
Wales made a confident start, driving a third-minute lineout from close range, but France managed to hold the ball up and escaped conceding a score.
But Wales were ahead just five minutes later, maintaining relentless pressure and patiently building phase-play before scrum-half Rhys Webb’s defence-splitting pass sent North over for a try that Biggar converted.
France quickly drew level, though, when fly-half Romain Ntamack split open Wales’ defence and skipper Antoine Dupont threw out a long ball to Penaud, who scored, with Ramos’ conversion making it 7-7.
Wales were not daunted by the opposition and they continued to dominate territory and possession, even if France’s scrum began exerting some pressure.
Alun Wyn Jones then went off for a head injury assessment, being replaced by Exeter’s Dafydd Jenkins, and Ramos kicked a 35-metre penalty to nudge France ahead.
Wales encountered increasing difficulty in the scrums and a second Ramos penalty in four minutes pushed France out to a 13-7 advantage.
France now had the bit between their teeth and a second try arrived six minutes before half-time following more sharp work by Dupont.
Although Wales averted initial danger, France’s patience and accuracy meant they still had the visitors in trouble and Danty touched down in the corner, with Ramos converting.
Wales’ early promise and spark had disappeared as France moved through the gears, leaving Gatland’s men with a mountain to climb, trailing by 13 points at the interval.
Wales were immediately on the back foot after half-time and it took France just four minutes to pull further away.
Dupont was typically at the heart of sustained attacks and Wales ran out of defensive numbers as Atonio scored from close range. Ramos’ conversion opened a 20-point gap between the sides.
It was suddenly damage limitation for the visitors, with France securing a bonus-point through Fickou’s 49th-minute try and another Ramos conversion made it 34-7.
Wales gained some consolation through Roberts’ 56th-minute try – his first Test touchdown – and Biggar’s conversion brought the deficit back to 20 points.
Prop Dillon Lewis won his 50th cap when he replaced Tomas Francis, then Williams added a third try for Wales, again converted by Biggar, but the damage had long been done.
Comments on RugbyPass
Crusaders reached their heights through recruitment of North Island players, often leaving those NI teams bereft of key players. Example: Scott Barrett and Sam Whitelock robbed the Canes of their lineout and AB locks. For years the Canes have struggled at lock. This rabid recruitment was iniated by rule changes by a Crusader dominated NZR Head Office. Now this aggressive recruitment has back-fired, going after young inside back Hamilton Boys stars. They now have 4 Chiefs region 10s and not one with the requisite experience at Super level. Problems of their own making!
1 Go to commentsOver rated for a long time…exposed at scrum time too.
3 Go to comments“Firing me” should have been Gatland’s answer.
2 Go to commentsFinn Russell logic: “World” = 4 countries. Ireland may be at or near the top. FR’s bigger concern should be he and his fellow Scots (incl. the Bloemfontein ones) sliding back down to below top 10
42 Go to commentsMind games have begun. Ireland learned their lesson after saying they could beat England with 13 players or whatever. Still, if they win at Loftus, that would be impressive - final frontier etc.
58 Go to comments$950k for a Prop that isn’t fit enough to play 10 mins of rugby? Surely there is someone better to replace Big Mike with
3 Go to commentsFour Kiwis in that backline. A solid statement on the lack of invention, risk-taking and joy in the NH game; game of attrition and head- banging tedium. Longterm medical problems aplenty in the future!
2 Go to commentsGood article, I learnt quite a lot. A big sliding door moment was in the mid 00s when they rejected Steve Anderson's long term transformation and he wrote Ireland's strategy instead.
2 Go to commentsHi Dr Nick! I'm worried that I've started to enjoy watching England and have actually wanted them to win their last two games. What would you prescribe? On a more serious note, I've noticed that the standard of play in March is often better than early February. Do you think this is because of the weather or because the players have been together for longer?
11 Go to commentsMy question in all this brett is who is going to wear the consequences of these actions? Surely just getting the sack isn’t sufficient? A teenager working the till at woolies would probably get taken to court if they took $20 out of the till. You mean to tell me that someone can spend $2.6 million and get away with it? Where was it spent? What companies/people were the beneficiaries etc? How is it just being talked about as an ‘oopsie’ and we all just move on and not a matter of the court for gross negligence, fraud, take your pick…
18 Go to commentslove Manu too but England have relied on him coming back from injury for far too long and not sorted the position with someone else long term . It will be a blessing he has gone . Huge shame he was so injury prone . God speed Manu .
3 Go to commentsI agree with Ben Smith about Brett Cameron. The No. 6 position has to be a monster and a genuine lineout option, like Ollivon, Lawes (now Chessum), Du Toit, etc. The only player who fits that bill right now is Scott Barrett. A fit and fizzing Tuipolotu together with one of the young towers, Sam Darry or Josh Lord, would give Razor the freedom to play Barret at 6.
16 Go to commentsOutstanding article, Graham. Agree with all of it. And enjoy the style of writing too (particularly Grand Slap!).
3 Go to commentsI wouldn't pay a cent for that loafer. He just stands around, waiting for play to come his way. He won't make the Wallabies.
3 Go to commentsGood bit of te reo maori Nic. Or is that Niko or Nikora? On the theme of trees the Oaks v Totara. Game plan would be key. I have one but it would cost you.
11 Go to comments> Shaun Edwards’ You should not have to score 30 points to win a game, as exciting as it is. This statement was surprising to me. It is nonsensical .I guess it is a defence coach speaking. But head coach, defence and attacking coaches all work together. They are inseparable. You score more than the opposition to win. It only needs to be one score. You score whatever the game demands, whatever the opposition demand. You defend whatever it takes. The attack coach needs to be able to clock up 30pts if need be.
11 Go to commentsWho’d have thought, not having Farrell & Youngs kicking the ball at every possible opportunity and playing flat and allowing your centres to run and pass would pay off? No one could possibly have seen this coming. FML. It took a LONG time coming but at least that time has finally come. England need to find a backup to Lawrence. Freeman is the best candidate for me, I see no reason why he can't play 12. He's big, strong, fast and has great hands.
11 Go to commentsLove Manu but he's not the player he was and I imagine Bayonne have paid too much money for him.
3 Go to commentsNew Zealand have not beaten England since 2018 and even that was a pretty close shave.
1 Go to comments“a renewed focus on Scottish-qualified players” Scottish-qualified is another way of saying English. England has development more players for the Scotland national Rugby team in the last 4 years, than Scotland has.
2 Go to comments