Gutted Wallabies hit decade low in French comeback win
Murray Wenzel |
Wallabies captain Harry Wilson says his team are gutted and hurting after conceding 30 second-half points to France on the way to a sixth consecutive Test lost.
The back-to-back Six Nations champions trailed 21-12 at halftime at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night before hitting top gear in a 42-26 win that got messy for the hosts in the final 20 minutes.
It followed the Wallabies’ two-point loss to world No.3 Ireland a week ago, when they also led by 12 points, and marked Australia’s first six-game losing streak in 10 years and ninth loss from their past 10 Tests.
France’s second-half onslaught ensured they beat the Wallabies in Brisbane for the first time since 1972.
Wilson was scathing of his team’s second-half display.
“It’s not good enough,” he told Stan.
“With 52,000 Australian supporters here, it means so much to us. We let them down, we let ourselves down with a second half like that.
“We’re gutted, we’re hurting. We’re going to keep improving and get better. We need to get results.
“Talk’s cheap, we’ve just got to get results for you.”
Fraser McReight, part of an inspired Wallabies back row, scored twice and saved another try in a brilliant first half, while fullback Tom Wright twice kicked 50-22s to give his side momentum.
The hosts pounced with two tries as former Brisbane club rugby junior Emmanuel Meafou, who scored the game’s first five-pointer, was serving 10 minutes in the sin bin for a high shot.
Up 21-12, Australia showed pluck to turn around several French raids to begin the second half.
But after captain Maxime Lucu slotted a penalty, the floodgates opened.
Wright was yellow-carded for a professional foul, before Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang scored his second.
France crossed twice more with Wright off the field to effectively ice the game with almost 20 minutes still to play.
Jeremy Williams ended the French run of points with a consolation try with four minutes remaining.
Hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa was the Wallabies’ first try-scorer, after replacing concussed No.2 Josh Nasser in just the third minute.
Debutant flyhalf Declan Meredith and halfback Ryan Lonergan were replaced just before the hour mark, but Jock Campbell – in an unfamiliar first-receiver role – and Tate McDermott failed to fire in a clunky conclusion.
“We’re learning that we need to play 80 minutes,” Wilson said.
“We keep losing moments. A team like France put 30 unanswered points (against us) and it’s not good enough.
“We had some really good patches there. Our set piece is doing well.
“But we need everything working together to win these Test matches against the best teams in the world.”
Australia play Italy in Perth next Saturday in coach Joe Schmidt’s final act before Les Kiss takes charge.
AAP