Rugby Australia announce $9.2m deficit, board member fails to be re-elected but coup falls over
Six months after the Wallabies’ worst World Cup result, Rugby Australia has announced a $9.2 million deficit from the 2023 season. The Roar can…
Stunned by the Wallabies in last Saturday’s opening Test, France halfback Morgan Parra says the tourists are planning a Melbourne revenge mission this weekend.
Parra says Les Bleus were caught out by Australia’s superior physicality, speed and execution and had not expected the hosts to be as good as they were in the 50-23 defeat in Brisbane.
The tourists will be boosted by the inclusion of several players who sat out the opening Test, including inspirational captain Thierry Dusautoir, playmaker Remi Tales, giant centre Mathieu Bastareaud, winger Maxime Medard and rampaging No.8 Louis Picamoles.
Parra played a cameo off the bench at Suncorp Stadium, scoring one try and setting up another in the dying minutes, and he says the French are keen to prove their first Test display was just an aberration.
“They surprised us in terms of the intensity of the game and the pace of the game, the speed of the passing,” Parra told AAP.
“It’s two things. I don’t think mentally we were expecting that kind of intensity from the first Test so now we are aware of it.
“The second thing is when you get 50 points against you … you just want to get a bit of revenge from the score the previous weekend.”
Parra says France’s missing stars would probably have made little difference to the result given Australia’s performance but he does believe having so many top quality players available will be a huge boost for the tourists.
“I’m not sure even if you’d put 15 or 20 other players in the line up the other week you would have changed much. Australia’s performance was just great,” he said.
“Everyone is important. It’s not because one or another come in that you will change the strategy of the team but it’s true that when you’ve got Mathieu Bastareaud in midfield it’s helping some other player from the forwards.”
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