Wallaroos collapse against France as bus fire delays game
Kaitlan Leaney and Siokapesi Palu Sekona console each other after the Wallaroos' defeat to France. (Getty Images: David Ramos)
Australia's Wallaroos have been left frustrated by a potentially massive Test win that got away as undisciplined France somehow escaped with a 29-26 win after being 19 points down and reduced at one point to just 11 players.
On an extraordinary day of Test rugby, exacerbated by off-field drama when the second half had to be delayed due to a bus on fire adjacent to the Stade Maurice David, home fans were left almost in disbelief at how their imploding and depleted side somehow still conjured a win.
The French were at one point in the first half down to 11 players after three yellow cards, including one upgraded to a 20-minute red, and a straight red.
A bus fire near the ground delayed the start of the second half. (Getty Images: David Ramos)
It enabled the Wallaroos to power into a 19-0 lead, but that was not enough to stop France fighting back with three second-half tries, even while suffering a sixth card after the break.
Australia, who also had Michaela Leonard sent to the bin in the second half to complete the card chaos, did not help itself as the French reeled off 17 unanswered points in the final 25 minutes to turn a 26-12 deficit into the most unlikely win.
Ultimately, the four Australian tries from Britanny Merlo, Tania Naden, Caitlyn Halse and Piper Duck were not enough for them to follow up last week's comprehensive defeat by England with a morale-boosting win.
The craziness began early, with the French being hit with four cards in 20 minutes, with Ambre Mwayembe, Lea Champon and Lea Murie all binned for high tackles — Mwayembe's being upgraded to a 20-minute red — before Chloe Correa got a straight red for eye-gouging in the maul.
Australia cashed in, with Merlo rolling over from the maul for her second international try after 17 minutes, Naden peeling off to score against a side left helpless when down to 11 and Halse then scoring the Wallaroos' slickest effort after a fine team move.
But when France started getting its numbers back, it became a very different game, as it reduced the deficit to 19-12 by half-time.
After Duck's early score five minutes into the delayed second half, Pauline Bourdon went over to narrow the gap.
When Leonard was binned for a high tackle, the hosts became increasingly encouraged, only to be checked again as Charlotte Escudero got penalised for 10 minutes for her own high challenge.
France then used its maul power to go over for a 68th-minute try through hooker Elisa Riffonneau before Teani Feleu crashed over in the corner for the clincher.
The Wallaroos play in Edinburgh next week against a Scotland side that lost 66-14 to 10-try New Zealand.
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