France snatch stunning comeback win over Wallaroos despite playing with 11 players

France completed one of the most improbable comebacks in women’s Test rugby on Saturday, defeating Australia’s Wallaroos 29-26 in Aix-en-Provence despite being reduced to 11 players at one stage and trailing by 19 points in the first half.

The match at Stade Maurice David was already extraordinary before a bus fire adjacent to the ground forced a delay to the second half, with smoke billowing around the stadium before the blaze was extinguished. By then, France had already accumulated four cards in the opening 20 minutes: Ambre Mwayembe, Lea Champon and Lea Murie were all binned for high tackles — Mwayembe’s yellow upgraded to a 20-minute red — before Chloe Correa received a straight red for eye-gouging in the maul.

Australia capitalised ruthlessly on their numerical advantage. Brittany Merlo rolled over from the maul for her second international try after 17 minutes, Tania Naden scored against a side left helpless at 11 players, and Caitlyn Halse added a third after a slick team move. The Wallaroos led 19-0, and a first Test win since last week’s heavy defeat to England appeared a formality.

France, however, refused to fold. They clawed back to 19-12 by halftime, and after Piper Duck extended Australia’s lead to 26-12 five minutes into the resumed second half, the hosts launched a relentless final quarter. Pauline Bourdon narrowed the gap, and when Michaela Leonard was binned for a high tackle — completing a seven-card afternoon — France sensed their opportunity.

Charlotte Escudero’s own 10-minute yellow briefly checked the momentum, but Australia wasted the chance, with Naden knocking on as they pressed for a decisive score. France then used their maul to devastating effect, hooker Elisa Riffonneau going over in the 68th minute before Teani Feleu crashed into the corner for the clincher. France had scored 17 unanswered points in the final 25 minutes to turn a 14-point deficit into a three-point win.

The result leaves world-ranked ninth Australia to reflect on a painful missed opportunity against a fourth-ranked French side that, by any reasonable measure, should have been beaten. The Wallaroos will take some encouragement from an improved display after the England defeat, but the manner in which they allowed France back into the contest will sting.