FRANCE 36 JAMAICA 0
PETER BIRD, Stade Municipal, Albi, Saturday
FRANCE booked their passage to next year’s World Cup with a convincing win over a spirited Jamaican outfit.
France produced a lot of quality and never really allowed the Reggae Warriors a foothold in this cross-continental qualifier.
Head coach Laurent Frayssinous was delighted with the outcome and “a really top performance.”
He said: “I asked the boys to start well to put the pressure on and they obliged.
“It was a faultless display to boost our confidence going into the build-up to the World Cup.”
Jamaica head coach Rhys Lovegrove said: “France are a decent side with class all over the pitch – we did okay and I’m proud of the way we kept going.”
The French opened their account in the ninth minute with Sydney Roosters centre Enzo Griffier crossing to the right of the posts following good work from Alrix Da Costa and Théo Fages.
Arthur Mourgue added the first of four goals from seven unanswered France tries.
Five minutes later the hosts doubled their score with the powerful Paul Séguier pushing his way over to the tryline from a short outside pass from the excellent César Rougé ten metres out.
Jamaica had half chances, but poor handling at the vital moment cost dearly.
France continued to dominate and while some dogged defending close to the line kept them out, it was no surprise when Fouad Yaha dived into the left corner from a looping Rougé pass for a healthy 16-0 half-time advantage.
It was more of the same six minutes into the second period with the evergreen Julian Bousquet using his power to sprint 20 metres under the posts with none of the four chasers able to stop him.
With the game won and with the visitors still making fatal errors at the wrong times, the French seemed to ease off the pedal.
The pace dropped and Jamaica had more possession which they couldn’t translate into points. James Woodburn-Hall and Kieran Rush tried to inspire and Ash Golding was throwing the ball around but there was no end product.
France stepped up a gear again as Jamaica tired, and Yaha dived into the left corner just before the half-hour after great build-up play from Arthur Romano.
A brace of tries followed in the last ten minutes with the speedy young Dragon Léo Darrélatour first nipping into the right corner as the Jamaican defenders looked on.
The hard-working Griffier then ended the game as he started with the final try two minutes from time, crashing over with Darrélatour in space but not required out to his right.
GAMESTAR: César Rougé ran the show with great support.
GAMEBREAKER: Julian Bousquet’s try just after the break sealed the victory.
MATCHFACTS
FRANCE
1 Arthur Mourgue (Hull KR)
2 Léo Darrélatour (Catalans Dragons)
3 Arthur Romano (Catalans Dragons)
4 Enzo Griffier (Sydney Roosters)
5 Foaud Yaha (Albi)
6 César Rougé (Catalans Dragons)
7 Théo Fages (Pia)
8 Jordan Dezaria (Catalans Dragons)
9 Alrix Da Costa (Catalans Dragons)
10 Romain Navarette (Catalans Dragons)
11 Louis Grossemy (Canterbury Bulldogs)
12 Paul Séguier (Carcassonne)
13 Ben Garcia (Catalans Dragons)
Subs (all used)
14 Anthony Marion (Toulouse Olympique)
15 Julian Bousquet (Catalans Dragons)
16 Justin Sangaré (York Knights)
17 Guillerme Aispuro-Bichet (Catalans Dragons)
Tries: Griffier (9, 78), Séguier (14), Yaha (26, 55), Bousquet (47), Darrélatour (73)
Goals: Mourgue 4/7
JAMAICA
1 Ben Jones-Bishop (York Knights)
2 Jack Rampton (Hunslet)
3 Jimmy Morgan (Hunslet ARLFC)
4 Chris Ball (Unattached)
5 Jamin Williams (St Mary’s)
6 James Woodburn-Hall (Halifax Panthers)
7 Kieran Rush (Huddersfield Giants)
8 Delaine Gittens-Bedward (Barrow Raiders)
9 Ash Golding (Huddersfield Giants)
10 Dec Tomlinson (Dewsbury Rams)
11 Keenen Tomlinson (Dewsbury Rams)
12 AJ Wallace (Toulouse Olympique)
13 Keenan Ramsden (Mullumbimby Giants)
Subs (all used)
14 Harlen Smith (Wigan Warriors)
15 Jordan Andrade (Rochdale Hornets)
16 Leo Skerrett-Evans (Castleford Tigers)
17 Isaac Coleman (East Leeds)
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 16–0; 22–0, 28–0, 32–0, 36–0
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
France: César Rougé; Jamaica: James Woodburn-Hall
Penalty count: 4-2
Half-time: 16-0
Referee: Aaron Moore
Attendance: 6,200
