France have ended the Wallabies’ European tour on a disappointing note by handing them a 48-33 loss in Paris on Saturday.
The result saw the Wallabies lose all four Tests in Europe for the first time since 1958 as a very busy season ended with 10 losses and five wins.
Outgoing Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt told Rugby Australia’s website rugby.com.au that the squad will be better off in the long-term.
“I think it is probably reflective of a lot of the games on the tour,” Schmidt said in the post-match press conference as reported by rugby.com.au.
“We’ve been in every game at half-time, and we haven’t finished them off well enough.”
The only win for the Wallabies on tour was a 19-15 victory over Japan in Tokyo.
RUN OF PLAY IN FRANCE
Wallaby hooker Matt Faessler crashes over to score in the fourth minute for an unconverted try. 4-0.
In the 10th minute France’s Nicolas Depoortere scores off a counterattack and the try is converted. 7-5.
In the 22nd minute, prop sprints clear to score for his try to be converted by Tane Edmed. 12-7.
Five minutes later, France’s Thomas Ramos eventually scores off a Wallabies error at the lineout but can’t convert. 12-12.
In the 32nd minute, France scores again as Louis Bielle-Biarrey France goes in for Ramos to convert. 19-12.
In the 38th minute, Faessler scores his second off a rolling maul against a 14-man French side (yellow card) for Edmed to convert. 19-19 at halftime.
In the 48th minute, Ramos kicks a penalty for the hosts to take the lead. 22-19.
In the 54th minute: Nicolas Depoortere goes over untouched after a French raid and Ramos misses the conversion. 27-19.
Three minutes later, Max Jorgensen is given the ball, kicks ahead and races in to score in the corner which Edmed converts. 27-26 to France.
In the 65th minute, Julien Marchand scores off a maul for a concerted try and Tom Hopper is sinbinned. 34-26.
In the 73rd minute, Louis Bielle-Biarrey scores off a length of the field movement. 41-26.
Three minutes later, Wallaby Josh Nasser scores off a pick-and-drive. The conversion is successful. 41-33.
On fulltime, France’s Maxime Lamothe scores for Ramos to convert. 48-33.
OTHER TEST RESULTS
England achieved a four-Test clean sweep by defeating Argentina 27-23 in London and Scotland thumped Tonga 56-0 in Edinburgh, both on Sunday.
On Saturday, Italy held off Chile 34-19 in Genoa, South Africa beat Ireland 24-13 and New Zealand were too strong for Wales 52-26.
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