France 38-21 Wales: Antoine Dupont picks off Wayne Pivac’s men as Dan Biggar’s kicking goes awry
- Wales took on France in a Six Nations warm-up match on Saturday in Paris
- Two tries from the hosts’ star man Antoine Dupont drove them to victory
- The night saw Wales’ Alun Wyn Jones equal the record for the nation’s most caps
Alun Wyn Jones’s record-equalling night in Paris ended with a fourth straight Welsh defeat as his team paid the price for a poor defensive display.
Wales captain Jones matched Richie McCaw’s world caps record of 148 at an empty Stade de France, but he took a nasty first-half cheap shot from Bernard Le Roux which went unpunished.
France scored three first-half tries with two from star man Antoine Dupont and a Cyril Baille effort. Romain Ntamack added three conversions.
France secured victory over Wales in a Six Nations warm-up match on Saturday evening
The hosts were driven on by two tries from star man Antoine Dupont in the Paris clash
Leigh Halfpenny had given Wales a first-minute try, but his team’s defence was porous, as it was in the Six Nations at the start of the year, and it proved costly.
Ntamack’s boot and tries from Charles Ollivon and Teddy Thomas — chipping the ball over Dan Biggar and running past him to catch his chip and score — secured France’s win in the second half and despite a late consolation from Nicky Smith, Wales were well beaten.
Wales led with only 58 seconds on the clock. Gregory Alldritt dropped Biggar’s kick-off and the ball went into touch. From the line-out, Justin Tipuric and Biggar sent Halfpenny into the corner.
The match saw Alun Wyn Jones match the record for the most international Wales caps
Charles Ollivon was also a try scorer as Wales are left with work to do before the Six Nations
Biggar converted and added a penalty before brushing off an injury scare when he chased a kick to touch and pulled up lame. France had started awfully, but they soon woke up.
Ntamack steamed through a gap and found half-back partner Dupont in support. Josh Adams stopped Les Bleus short of the line, but a quick tap saw prop Baille burrow over.
Ntamack converted, before Biggar, looking far from 100 per cent, responded with three points. The Wales fly-half is the ultimate competitor, but he wasn’t helped by his team’s line-out not firing on all cylinders.
France produced two more impressive tries before the break, but they were helped by poor Welsh defence. First, Ntamack and Virimi Vakatawa led the charge, sending Thomas flying down the wing. Again Dupont was in support and here he scored.
Dan Biggar missed two key penalties for the visitors as they faltered against the French
Just before the break, Tipuric bizarely steamed out of the line, leaving Vakatawa with a huge gap to run into. Dupont was the beneficiary with a simple finish.
Biggar kicked a penalty at the start of the second half, but Alldritt should have had a fourth French try when he dropped a sitter with the line gaping.
Ntamack kicked his first three-pointer and Biggar turned down a response in favour of the corner.
Biggar missed two key penalties and France put the game out of touch with a breakaway try. Dupont was at the heart of it with Ollivon breaking clear to score.