Wells stared at the wooden spoon. Another failure from these youngsters, another credible effort, but the challenge in the final quarter against a French team that could attack and beat as relentlessly as they did was just too much.
As the game approached an hour, Wales led 24-20, leading three to two. But when a team comes at you from as many angles and in as many ways as France did, it’s the test of holding them back that ultimately tells you the answer.
Three tries in the final quarter swept the hosts away, leaving them bottom of the table, four points behind Italy, who visit in the final round of games this weekend. Wells has been trying to avoid the first wooden spoon since 2003.
“It means a lot to us,” said Warren Gatland. “But we have to be excited. You can’t get into your shell. We have to accept that and work hard next week and perform well.”
France needed a late conversion to go into third ahead of Scotland by points, but Thomas Ramos fumbled wide for the first time. By then, their dominance was fully established. Finally, Maxime Lucu sealed the victory by lofting an inside ball from Damian Penaud. The strong travel support is going crazy again, and for good reason. If France lose, they’ll have their eyes on that shovel. Insult after recent high. In fact, they can secure second place with a win over England in Lyon on Saturday. It is still mathematically possible that they would win the Six Nations War, although it would be almost unthinkable.
Not that either side started out looking like a team facing humiliation. If defense is a barometer of desperation, then Wales and France played as if they were on holiday. Some of the lapses in structure and energy must be shocking, especially if your name is Sean Edwards, who is known for many things, but coaching passive defense is not one of them.
He returned to his home of many years and was rudely disrupted in just the 10th minute. Sam Costello and Ramos had just exchanged penalties when Leo Dier collected a loose ball from Tomos Williams just after half-time. He cut inside Gregory Aldritt with ease and couldn’t believe he was lucky enough to see a clear path to the post for his first try of the game.
Defense sometimes seems optional, but that often happens when the attack is sharp. France have brought in a number of new players for this match, including a number of defenders, and early indications are that it won’t be boring to watch. Full-back Léo Barré looked imperious with the ball in his hands, and the more we see similar situations with Nicolas Depoortère, the better.
As for the rest, we already know. As Wales wilted under intense pressure in a scrum, Luis Biele-Biare had one of his numerous attacks down the left flank after another penalty from Ramos. The ball came from the left, Ramos curled the ball in and Penault sent Gael Ficu out for a corner.
The French team did not maintain the lead for long. Catastrophic confusion in the midfield defense allowed Irwin Watkin to score. His inside ball sent Williams to the post.
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Williams’ opponent, fellow newcomer Nolann Le Garrec, put in a great race to take pole position in the absence of Antoine Dupont. His try on the half-hour gave France a three-point lead at the break. Biel-Biare chased Legarek’s chip into the corner, forcing an attack. Le Garrec found Dafydd Jenkins on the edge of the first ruck with ease after Fickou struggled to get the ball across the line.
Fiku’s counterpart Joe Roberts tried a Six Nations debut shortly after half-time following a sweet interaction between Tommy Reffell and Costelow , thereby establishing a lead in the third quarter. But France did pick up the pace and intensity after that.
Georges-Henri Colombe thought he had scored minutes away but the TMO found he had left the ball under his stick. Anyway, more than 10 minutes later, he broke in after Penault and his teammates happily rushed from the right.
Romain Taofifenua scored France’s fourth goal minutes later when he beat Gareth Davies at a corner kick. Another Ramos penalty put France ahead by more than two points in the final 10 minutes, before Lukku scored in the dying seconds.
France needs to stop now. Alas, it is too late for them to leave this form. For Wells, form can’t come soon enough.
