France pour 30 unanswered points to end Wallabies' brave fightback in Brisbane

France overturned a nine-point half-time deficit to hammer Australia 42-26 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday, inflicting a sixth consecutive Test defeat on the Wallabies and their longest losing streak in ten years.

The back-to-back Six Nations champions trailed 21-12 at the break but scored 30 unanswered points after the interval to run away with the match, leaving Australia with nine losses from their last ten Tests. It echoed the previous weekend’s two-point defeat to Ireland, when the Wallabies had also held a 12-point lead.

Flanker Fraser McReight was the standout performer in a promising first half for the hosts, scoring twice and preventing a French try as part of an inspired back-row display. Fullback Tom Wright added momentum with two 50-22 kicks. Australia capitalised while France’s Emmanuel Meafou — who had opened the scoring — was serving a ten-minute sin-bin for a high tackle, crossing for two tries to build their lead.

The Wallabies showed resilience early in the second half, repelling several French attacks, but the game turned when Wright was yellow-carded for a professional foul. Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang scored his second try during the absence, and France crossed twice more with Wright still off the field to effectively seal the result with nearly 20 minutes remaining.

Hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa had been thrust into action as early as the third minute after starting hooker Josh Nasser left the field with a concussion. Debutant fly-half Declan Meredith and half-back Ryan Lonergan were withdrawn just before the hour, but their replacements — Jock Campbell in an unfamiliar first-receiver role and Tate McDermott — could not arrest the slide. Jeremy Williams scored a consolation try four minutes from time to end the French scoring run.

Australia face Italy in Perth next Saturday in what will be coach Joe Schmidt’s final match in charge before Les Kiss takes over.