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Qantas Wallabies defeat France 34 - 13 in Sydney
June 28, 2008 - 2:23pm
Story by: ARU
An extraordinary attacking display in the second half saw the Qantas Wallabies convert a 10 – 6 half time lead to a 34 – 13 victory over France in the Bundaberg Rum Rugby Series Test played at ANZ Stadium in Sydney tonight.
The match was tightly poised at the break but two tries with four minutes of the re-start, one each to lock Nathan Sharpe and flanker Rocky Elsom, set up a comfortable victory for the Wallabies.
The first opportunity to score came in the 4th minute when France were penalised for diving into a ruck forty metres out straight in front by referee Marius Jonker but Matt Giteau’s penalty attempt faded wide.
France were the next to threaten in the 8th minute when young winger Alexis Palisson made good on his pre-game boast to show up Qantas Wallabies winger Lote Tuqiri by stepping around Tuqiri and making good ground down the right hand side but his kick ahead went in to touch on the full.
Robust French lock Sebastien Chabal was causing havoc in the Wallabies line out stealing some early throw-ins from Australia.
On 13 minutes a perfect cross-field kick from Giteau found Tuqiri all alone on the left hand touch line but Tuqiri seemed to lose the ball in the crowd and the chance went begging.
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