France mounted a stunning comeback to defeat Australia 42-26 in the Nations Championship on July 11, 2026. After trailing at halftime, France scored six tries, including two from debutant Aaron Grandidier Nkanang, to secure their victory and extend Australia's losing streak to six matches.
France's Dominance in the Second Half
Trailing 21-12 at halftime, France exploded in the second half, scoring 30 unanswered points. Romain Ntamack, Florian Verhaeghe, and Theo Attissogbe joined Grandidier Nkanang in crossing the try line, showcasing France's attacking prowess.
“It’s awesome, we studied them all week and I think it was a challenge for us to come and play,” said Emmanuel Meafou, who opened the scoring for France. “Credit to the Wallabies. That was a tough first half. We knew they weren’t going to go away, but we got some good tries in the second half.”
Key Moments of the Match
The match began with a quick try from Meafou in the third minute, but Australia quickly responded with tries from Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Fraser McReight, who scored twice before halftime. Despite their strong start, Australia struggled to maintain momentum in the second half.
- Final Score: Australia 26 - 42 France
- Tries: France - Meafou, Grandidier Nkanang (2), Ntamack, Verhaeghe, Attissogbe; Australia - Paenga-Amosa, McReight (2), Williams
- Conversions: France - Lucu (3); Australia - Lonergan (3)
Implications for Both Teams
This defeat marks a challenging period for Australia, who are set to face Italy next week in Schmidt's final match as head coach. Meanwhile, France will look to build on this victory against Japan in their next outing.
“We keep losing moments and allowing a team like France to put on 30 unanswered points, it’s not good enough,” lamented Harry Wilson, captain of Australia.
🤖 This article was rewritten by Feed and Figures' editorial AI from a report originally published by BBC Sport. Facts and quotes are preserved from the original; the rewrite focuses on clarity and structure. For the unedited original, see the source link below.
