FRANCE 69 AUSTRALIA 34
IAN GOLDEN, WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong, Friday

AUSTRALIA put up a fight in a tight opening 40 minutes, but they couldn’t stop France from pulling away in a hard-hitting thriller.

France took the lead with an “eight-point try” that in the end was only worth six. Damien Doré was fouled in the process of scoring, but Florian Guttadoro’s conversion hit the post before he scored the penalty in front of the sticks.

Two Dany Denuwaelere tries, both converted by Guttadoro, gave France an 18-0 lead, but Australia hit back on 16 minutes, much to the delight of the home crowd, when Daniel Anstey scored in the corner.

Adam Tannock and Bayley McKenna added further tries, with McKenna converting all three to put Australia level.

Tries from Jorge Gelade Panzo and Denuwaelere, both improved by Nicolas Clausells, saw France open up a 30-18 lead, but an unconverted Diab Karim score narrowed the gap to eight at half-time.

An early second half Clausells try and goal extended France’s lead, only for Australia to again reply through a McKenna try improved by Schumacher.

But France took control after that.

63-year-old Gilles Clausells, uncle of Nicolas, scored two tries and a field-goal, Jérémy Bourson, Guttadoro and Jonathan Hivernat, who kicked the final goal, each scored once, before Nicolas scored the last try to add to his three further goals.

A final minute try from Tannock that Karim improved was just consolation for Australia.

FRANCE: 8 Jorge Gelade Panzo, 2 Damien Doré, 3 Florian Guttadoro, 4 Jérémy Bourson, 7 Dany Denuwaelere. Subs (all used): 6 Nicolas Clausells, 1 Gilles Clausells, 5 Jonathan Hivernat

Tries: N Clausells (1, 80), Doré (4), Denuwaelere (12, 15, 35), Gelade Panzo (29), Bourson (49, 57), G Clausells (53, 67), Hivernat (65); Goals: Guttadoro 5/6, N Clausells 4/6, Jonathan Hivernat 1/1

AUSTRALIA: 2 Daniel Anstey, 5 Cory Cannane, 7 Bayley McKenna, 8 Zac Schumacher, 9 Adam Tannock. Subs (all used): 6 Diab Karim, 4 Liam Luff, 10 Toby Popple

Tries: Anstey (16), Tannock (21, 79), McKenna (24), Karim (39), Schumacher (45); Goals: McKenna 4/5, Karim 1/1

SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 6-0, 12-0, 18-0, 18-6, 18-12, 18-18, 24-18, 30-18, 30-22, 36-22, 36-28, 42-28, 46-28, 52-28, 58-28, 62-28, 63-28, 63-34, 69-34

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Players of the Match
France: Nicolas Clausells; Australia: Zac Schumacher

Penalty count: 7-7; Half-time: 30-22; Referees: Rebecca Whiteley and Oliver Cruickshank; Attendance: 1,128