France 27-12 Uruguay: Rugby World Cup hosts overcome dogged South American opponents to claim second win of tournament

France did what was expected of them as they overcame Uruguay 27-12 in their second game of the Rugby World Cup in Lille.

As Les Bleus prepared to face Los Teros, no-one predicted anything but a straightforward French victory. Fabien Galthie, the hosts’ coach, made 12 changes to the side that had stunned New Zealand on the tournament’s opening matchday last week, with the big hitters, including scrum-half Antoine Dupont and fly-half Mathieu Jalibert left out of the matchday squad completely to keep them fresh for tougher tests, and to also give the second string a chance to shine against supposedly inferior opposition.

And yet, while France won this encounter, it was far from plain sailing. In fact, it was the Uruguayans who scored the first try, as brilliance from Felipe Etcheverry, the fly-half, whose grubber sliced through the French defensive line, and bounced kindly, via Melvyn Jaminet’s misread, for the onrushing Nicolas Freitas to touch down in the corner, and silence the raucous Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

That wasn’t before the home side had taken the lead themselves through a Jaminet penalty on three minutes, as Mateo Sanguinetti collapsed the game’s first scrum – that would prove to be a common theme of the affair.

Within four minutes, however, France restored parity. A smart decision to scrum down five metres from the tryline instead of kicking for the posts paid dividends as, from the set piece, Maxime Lucu, the Bordeaux scrum-half, darted towards the blindside, ably supported by his stand-off Antoine Hastoy, who crashed through the scrambling Uruguay backline to power over.

Jaminet converted, and the French were back in full control, with Etcheverry ruing his earlier conversion miss, which he had shanked into the stands, well wide of the post.

France, although ahead, were far from comfortable, and things took a turn for the worse when lock Romain Taofifenua was sent to the sin bin after the TMO intervened to flag a collision between the second row’s shoulder and the head of the Uruguayan No. 9 Santiago Arata.

Taofifenua trudged off, and was the subject of an off-field review, which was concluded six minutes later – the Lyon forward was safe, for now.

Uruguay took advantage – or so they thought – of their man advantage, as Etcheverry turned scorer on 34 minutes. Working a line-out well, they pinged it down the line, and the fly-half dived over, and Uruguay, incredibly, were three points away.

That was until the TMO came to the hosts’ rescue, ruling that Tomas Inciarte, the visiting No. 13, obstructed Arthur Vincent off the ball, allowing Etcheverry to drive into the resulting open space unfairly. Les Bleus with a lucky escape.

Galthie’s side looked in all sorts of bother as Uruguay mustered a second score, with this one counting, after the interval. Brilliantly worked down the right, Etcheverry showed good hands to get it out to the touchline for Basso, whose deft pass back inside was met by the onrushing Baltazar Amaya, the full-back, to dot down and bring the South Americans within one.

But all their hard work was quickly undone, as Arata’s kick a minute later was blocked by his own player, falling kindly for the recently introduced substitute Peato Mauvaka, who showed exceptional handling to prevent the knock-on and slide over to put the hosts back into an eight-point lead, adding on another Jaminet conversion.

Louis Bielle-Biarrey, the 20-year-old winger, took full advantage of tired Uruguayan legs as their defensive shape began to be pulled apart by the fresh French replacements, and it was Antoine Hastoy who had the vision to pick the winger out, all on his own on the near side to dive over and dot down.

It was job done for Les Bleus, but Esteban Meneses’ men gave the hosts a mighty scare.

They may well have got the win, but it took a concerted effort to finally beat a spirited Uruguay side.

At times in this match, especially when Uruguay had penetrated the French defence and scored their tries, Fabien Galthie had probably began to think that leaving his star names out of the squad completely might have been a mistake, and having them on hand on the bench could have been his escape route.

However, it was the Uruguayans who, for all their good work, let themselves down, and France off the hook, with sloppy handling when they turned the ball over, and careless scrummaging when set pieces could well have been their way to a positive result.

That said, Meneses will be mightily pleased with his side’s heart and character to bounce back from disappointment – especially the disallowed Etcheverry try – to score again and keep the contest close.

A warrior, and impressive in both attack and defence.

Renowned for his athletic prowess, the hosts sought out the Stade Francais No. 7 whenever they could, with his carries earning them valuable metres against a stubborn Uruguayan defence.

The flanker’s desire to get down and dirty in the breakdown also helped the French cause, forcing turnovers and penalties at the crucial times to see out an important win for Les Bleus, who keep up their 100% start to the tournament.

France: Jaminet 7, B-Biarrey 7, Villiere 6, Vincent 6, Moefana 6, Hastoy 7, Lucu 6, Gros 6, Bourgarit 6, Aldegheri 6, Woki 6, Taofifenua 6, Boudehent 6, Macalou 8, Jelonch 6. Replacements: Couilloud 6, Wardi 6, Mauvaka 7, Falatea 6, Flament 6, Chalureau 6, Cros 6.

Uruguay: Amaya 7, Basso 6, Freitas 7, Inciarte 6, Vilaseca 6, Etcheverry 7, Arata 6, Sanguinetti 5, Pujadas 5, Peculo 5, Aliaga 6, Leindekar 6, Ardao 6, Civetta 6, Diana 6. Replacements: Berchesi 6, Ormaechea 6, Benitez 6, Gattas 6, Piussi 6, Dotti 6, Bianchi 6, Deus 6.

7′: TRY! Uruguay have stolen the lead, my word! It’s brilliant from Etcheverry with a beautiful grubber kick that slices through the French defence. Jaminet misses the ball, which ricochets kindly for Freitas to touch down in the corner!

12′: TRY! The decision pays dividends, as from the scrum, Lucu darts towards the blindside, and picks out the onrushing Hastoy, who crashes onto the ball with pace. He powers over to put the French back into the ascendancy.

29′: PENALTY, URUGUAY Arata is down in a heap after a head collision. It goes to the TMO, and it shows Romain Taofifenua’s shoulder going into the skull of the Uruguayan scrum-half. //TAOFIFENUA OFF-FIELD REVIEW For the moment, he’s in the sin bin, and the video officials are reviewing the footage to see whether it was a red card offence.

34′: TRY! Etcheverry turns scorer, and the South Americans have scored again! They work the line-out well, and although there’s a delay at the breakdown for Arata, the Uruguayans work it neatly down the line, and Etcheverry drives over! // NO TRY! It’s chalked off, as Inciarte, the Uruguay No. 13, obstructs Arthur Vincent off the ball, as Etcheverry drives into the resulting open space. The score is wiped off.

50′: TRY! Villiere goes over, but TMO will review it. It comes off Jelonch’s shoulder as he challenges under the high ball with Etcheverry, and Villiere picks up the pieces and touches down. // NO TRY! The TMO rules it as a knock-on.

54′: TRY! Uruguay have scored again, and they are breathing down French necks once again as they work it brilliantly down the right. Etcheverry evades Vincent, Basso is in the mix, and Amaya goes through the open door to touch down in the corner.

56′: TRY! That didn’t last long! A kick is blocked by a yellow shirt, and France break quickly, as the ricochet is kind for Mavaka, who handles really well with his underhand to prevent the knock-on, and he grounds the ball well to restore the French advantage.

73′: TRY! It’s another, and it’s the youngster, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, who is all alone on this near side, and Hastoy has the vision to pick him out. The 20-year-old gleefully dives over, and France are 25-12 up.