France vs Australia LIVE rugby: Result and final score as late Damian Penaud try snatches victory

The Wallabies led late after impressive tries from Lalakai Foketi and Jock Campbell, but Damian Penaud’s brilliance seized the win for the French at the death

(REUTERS)

Damian Penaud scored a late try to give France a hard-fought record 11th consecutive victory as they beat Australia 30-29 at the Stade de France in their autumn international on Saturday.

The Wallabies’ Lalakai Foketi scored a sensational try and Jock Campbell added another with Bernard Foley kicking the rest of the points for the visitors, who did a great job at keeping France‘s mercurial scrumhalf Antoine Dupont in check.

Fabien Galthie’s side however ground through the game and winger Penaud scored the winner to add to Julien Marchand’s try, while Thomas Ramos’s metronomic boot secured their other points.

France, who take on South Africa in Marseille next Saturday, improved on their record of consecutive victories that dated back to the 1930s.

Having not played together since the last Six Nations tournament as the squad who toured Japan in July was largely reshuffled, France lacked their usual bite but somehow pulled off a victory after a rough battle.

Australia, who had recalled experienced flyhalf Foley in August, defended stoutly and attacked when it mattered, only losing their way in the final five minutes.

Foley put the visitors ahead with an early penalty as Australia started strongly, only for Ramos to cancel out the advantage with a 30-metre penalty and then give Les Bleus the lead with a 48-metre kick.

After Foley’s second penalty, France touched down through Charles Ollivon, only for the try to be ruled out for a double movement. Minutes later, Australia effectively scored the first try at the end of a blistering counter attack, Foketi diving over after collecting Tom Wright’s pass inside the French 22.

France had a spell of domination and were rewarded with two Ramos penalties but for the first time in four years Les Bleus faced the prospect of being behind at halftime at the Stade de France.

However, Marchand scored a pivotal try in stoppage time from a strong ruck and Ramos added the extra points to give France a six-point lead at the interval with the score at 19-13.

Foley and Ramos traded penalties early in the second half, but Australia struck the first blow when Campbell went over after a fine collective move before Foley converted to give the Wallabies a one-point advantage and fresh momentum.

Foley kicked for three points again before Ramos also did so and, with five minutes left, Hodge added another penalty to leave France with a try to score for a win that looked elusive. But Penaud beat two tackles to touch down with four minutes left and gave his team another confidence boost a year before the World Cup on home soil.

France vs Australia latest updates

• France host Australia in Paris in the first of their autumn internationals
• The last five games between the sides have been decided by three points or fewer
• TRY! This is a stunning try from the Wallabies with Wright involved and Foketi dashing clear, 6-13
• TRY! Dupont picks up the pieces and Marchand bundles over on the stroke of half-time, 19-13
• TRY! Campbell with a violent run and score to put the Wallabies back on top, 22-23
• PENALTY! Ramos cuts the deficit as France resist going for the lineout, 25-26
• PENALTY! Hodge with a colossal kick to put the Wallabies up by four again, 25-29
• TRY! Penaud dances down the line and powers home, 30-29

[5 November 2022 16:53 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Wales 23-41 New Zealand, 72 minutes

But the New Zealand defence holds. There’s nothing doing immediately after the lineout, and little options present themselves wider, either. Will Rowlands is lined up by the mightily meaty shoulders of Dalton Papali’i and Ardie Savea, and free from his arms tumbles the slippery ball.

[5 November 2022 16:52 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Wales 23-41 New Zealand, 70 minutes

Two penalties against New Zealand in the same movement, the first against a midfield defender who is offside, the second against Ofa Tu’ungafasi, who flops on a loose ball within a metre of the ruck, which is no longer allowed.

Sam Costelow boots the penalty into the corner...

[5 November 2022 16:50 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Wales 23-41 New Zealand, 68 minutes

Oh so close to an opportunistic score from Gareth Anscombe!

A kick ends up in the Welsh full-back’s hands as he leaps to charge it down, and off he sets for the line. Perhaps before that horrible leg injury in 2019, Anscombe would have had the toe to get there, but Richie Mo’unga just about reels him in, trapping the arms just enough to prevent an accurate offload that would have allowed Rio Dyer to crash over. As it is, Dyer can only prod with his right foot into touch.

[5 November 2022 16:48 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Wales 23-41 New Zealand, 67 minutes

A debut for Sam Costelow at fly-half for Wales - the 21-year-old has long been regarded as a potential ten of the future, lured back into the country after starring in Leicester’s academy.

[5 November 2022 16:45 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

TRY! Wales 23-41 NEW ZEALAND (Ardie Savea try, 65 minutes)

At last a gap opens and Ardie Savea gets the try he so deserves!

Patient, patient stuff from New Zealand, even with the advantage. Wales tire as the phase count grows, and eventually a hole appears next to the ruck as Savea gets back to his feet after slipping at the base.

The number eight nearly makes an embarassing mess of the finish, leaping entirely unneccesarily up into the air not realising Will Rowlands is close by, but just about gets the nose of the ball against the grass past the Welsh lock’s arm.

Richie Mo’unga misses from the tee.

[5 November 2022 16:44 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Wales 23-36 New Zealand, 63 minutes

A familiar pattern from New Zealand, their eight forwards punching around the corner, Wales battling, largely in vain, to halt them. Christ Tshiunza just about gets a handle of Ardie Savea.

The crowd jeers as Caleb Clarke spills, but the ball went backwards.

And now New Zealand have an advantage for offside.

[5 November 2022 16:42 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Wales 23-36 New Zealand, 61 minutes

A penalty against Wales at the scrum, which hasn’t functioned particularly well this afternoon.

Shannon Frizell is New Zealand’s latest leaver; Akira Ioane into the back row ahead of a lineout 30 metres out from the Welsh line.

[5 November 2022 16:40 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Wales 23-36 New Zealand, 60 minutes

More changes for New Zealand - Samisoni Taukei’aho and Fletcher Newell complete the set of front row replacements, while Anton Lienert-Brown is on at 13, Rieko Ioane shifting to the wing.

And it is for Ioane that Richie Mo’unga lifts his latest crossfield number. Ioane is favourite to get to it, too, but it just fizzes onwards as it lands on the slick surface, forcing Ioane out of play.

[5 November 2022 16:37 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Wales 23-36 New Zealand, 58 minutes

Nearly a moment of magic from Tomos Williams! He impels Wayne Barnes to give him the penalty rather than an advantage as New Zealand infringe at a ruck, granting him the chance to tap and advance for ten metres with the All Blacks unable to touch him.

A sharp, jabbing left-footed step takes him beyond opposite number Aaron Smith, and Justin Tipuric takes an in-field offload...which drifts ever so slightly forward from the hands!

[5 November 2022 16:34 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Wales 23-36 New Zealand, 56 minutes

A few changes in the last few minutes. Intriguing lock/back row prospect Christ Tshiunza is on for Wales after an eye-catching start to the season for Exeter, while Ofa Tu’ungafasi has replaced Ethan de Groot in the New Zealand front row.

Tshiunza’s lineout take leads to an offside penalty against the All Blacks.