Wallaroos collapse against France as bus fire delays game
The Wallaroos collapse from a 19-0 lead to go down 29-26 against France in a game briefly delayed by a nearby bus fire.
On an extraordinary day of Test rugby marred by off-field drama, Australia's Wallaroos suffered a disappointing 29-26 loss to France. The game was further complicated by a bus fire that delayed the second half at the Stade Maurice David, leaving home fans in disbelief as their depleted and disorganized side managed to secure an unlikely victory.
France struggled early on, accumulating four yellow cards in just 20 minutes due to high tackles and an eye-gouging incident, with three players, including Ambre Mwayembe, serving 20-minute red cards. Despite their disadvantage, France managed to score three second-half tries, eventually closing the gap to 19-12 by halftime. Australia's early tries from Britanny Merlo, Tania Naden, and Caitlyn Halse were not enough to maintain their lead as France's maul power and fighting spirit saw them score three more tries in the final 25 minutes, including two from Elisa Riffonneau and Teani Feleu.
With four Wallaroos tries from Merlo, Naden, Halse, and Piper Duck, they failed to capitalize on their advantage and fell short of a morale-boosting win. The match highlighted the intense nature of Test rugby and the challenges teams face when dealing with disciplinary issues and unforeseen circumstances.
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