The Albany Gazette - Bielle-Biarrey masterclass helps France hold off Australia

Bielle-Biarrey proved his class in a sluggish display from the Six Nations champions who ended their Autumn Nations Series campaign by claiming a favourable spot in the December 3 group stage draw.

The defeat meant out-of-form World Cup hosts Australia suffered a first winless European tour since 1958 and their record 10th defeat in a year.

France head coach Fabien Galthie recalled Gael Fickou in midfield, with locks Thibaud Flament and Emmanuel Meafou the other changes from last Saturday's turgid win over Fiji.

Australia boss Joe Schmidt was forced into two changes on the eve of the game with fly-half Carter Gordon and hooker Billy Pollard ruled out with injury, a week on from the record defeat to Ireland.

Inexperienced Tane Edmed took over the key playmaking role while Matt Faessler replaced Pollard, with 35-year-old playmaker James O'Connor released back to his club.

Faessler took no time at all to have an impact, bundling over after less than three minutes to make it 5-0 to the visitors before Edmed missed his conversion, stunning the crowd at a chilly Stade de France, where the temperature dropped to 1C.

By the half hour mark the sides were level 12-12 as Wallabies prop Angus Bell charged over either side of tries from home centre Nicolas Depoortere and full-back Thomas Ramos.

Edmed missed a conversion and penalty, before Bielle-Biarrey proved why he was shortlisted for the World Rugby player of the year award -- won by South Africa hooker Malcolm Marx.

- Depoortere double -

Bielle-Biarrey caught a Damian Penaud pass on the 50m line before collecting his own chip kick to slide over and Ramos' extras made it 19-12 after 32 minutes.

The visitors stayed in the game thanks to France's poor discipline, conceding eight penalties in the first half, and went in at the break with the score 19-19 after Faessler's second try.

With a quarter of the match remaining, Galthie's side had a 27-26 advantage after Ramos kicked a penalty and Depoortere scored his second, thanks to another clinical Bielle-Biarrey assist.

Visiting full-back Max Jorgensen set up a tense last 20 minutes, sliding over before Bielle-Biarrey's second try.

The 22-year-old winger's almost-perfect display was capped off with eight minutes to go, when he glided over after a superb 40m break by replacement centre Kalvin Gourgues on his Test debut.

It took Bielle-Biarrey and his iconic red scrum hat's Test try tally to 20 in 22 appearances since his international bow in 2023.

Ramos added the conversion to make it 41-26 before late tries from Australia hooker Josh Nasser and France hooker Maxime Lamothe.

(A.Johnson--TAG)