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Wallabies playmaker Matt Giteau regained his mojo tonight to spearhead Australia to a record 40-10 Test blitz of France at Suncorp Stadium.
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All Blacks record tough victory over French
Giteau set up all four Australian tries and kicked eight from eight with the boot for a personal haul of 20 points to ensure a 2-0 series whitewash for the Wallabies.
It was easily Australia’s best performance under new coach Robbie Deans who would have been well pleased with the match as a Tri-Nations warm-up.
But the display was tarnished by injuries, including a broken leg for luckless replacement back Cameron Shepherd.
Centre Berrick Barnes (shoulder) and lock James Horwill (eye socket) were also sent to hospital for precautionary scans as reserve Ryan Cross flashed over for two second-half tries from Giteau cut-out passes.
Expected to put up a much stiffer fight than in the 34-13 loss in Sydney last weekend, the French were their own worst enemies throughout the match.
Terrible first-half ball handling was compounded by ill-discipline under immense Australian pressure at the breakdown, while the visitors also conceded a tight-head to the Wallabies scrum.
The 30-point victory eclipsed the Wallabies’ 35-12 1999 World Cup final win as their biggest over Les Bleus.
Australia’s highest-paid rugby player, Giteau, who produced one of his most forgettable halves of Test rugby last week, was on song from the outset.
He opened the home side’s account in just the third minute with an angled penalty goal, his first of four three-pointers in a dominant opening half.
The Wallabies first five-pointer came soon after when in-form local winger Peter Hynes scored a cherished maiden Test try in front of his 40,218-strong home crowd.
Sharp vision and a perfectly-placed cross-field kick by Giteau gave Hynes an easy take and run to the right corner after a slick lineout drive.
A wild brawl just before half-time drew Australian blood and showed some of Les Bleus’ renowned passion still existed in their last game of a long season.
Horwill, only minutes after finishing a brilliant try, was forced into the blood bin after being on the receiving end of a flurry of Imanol Harinordoquy upper-cuts.
Horwill, who played no further part in the match, was penalised for sparking the all-in brawl by running into a fracas between hooker Stephen Moore and the French flankers.
When Giteau latched on to a charged down Luke Burgess pass and spun his way through the defence before flicking a pass to Horwill in the 36th minute, Australia seemed as good as home at 26-0.
The only joy the off-key tourists had was a counter-attacking try on fulltime to five-eighth Francois Trin-Duc after a Wallabies turnover.
Skipper Stirling Mortlock cut a happy figure at the end of the match, impressed by his side’s improvement on their opening two Tests of 2008 and proud of the second-half defence.
“We take a lot bit of pride in our defence and I think that showed tonight,” Mortlock said.
“We were very disappointed to concede that late try but that came from a turnover when we were on attack.
“I’m incredibly impressed with all the spirited defence.”
Shepherd’s fracture, sustained when he was tackled at the end of a half-break, is a heart-breaking blow to the man who was expected to be Australia’s fullback for the Tri-Nations.
The Wallabies selectors will announce their Tri-Nations squad on Monday and will have to think long and hard about who to include as cover for Adam Ashley-Cooper who produced a solid game in the No.15 jersey tonight.
With World Cup fullbacks Chris Latham (shoulder) and Julian Huxley (brain tumour) sidelined, Western Force winger Drew Mitchell and Brumbies back Mark Gerrard will come into calculations for the position.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.