France Dominates Wales to Sustain Grand Slam Aspirations

In a stunning display, France overwhelmed Wales with a decisive 54-12 victory, marking a significant step towards their Grand Slam ambitions. This match, part of the Men’s Six Nations, saw Wales suffer their 13th consecutive defeat in the tournament.

Winger Theo Attissogbe contributed significantly to the scoreline with two tries, while Emilien Gailleton, Fabien Brau-Boirie, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Matthieu Jalibert, Julien Marchand, and Charles Ollivon added to the tally. Thomas Ramos also showcased his kicking prowess, securing 14 points.

The Principality Stadium welcomed a crowd of 57,744, which is now the lowest attendance for a Six Nations match at the venue outside of the pandemic period. Wales managed to respond with a try from prop Rhys Carre and a consolation score from Mason Grady, but they couldn’t avert a record defeat against France in Cardiff.

France not only set a new record for points in this fixture, surpassing the previous 51 scored in 1998, but also maintained their status as the only unbeaten team in this year’s tournament. They are set to host Italy in Paris next Sunday.

Conversely, Wales faces the grim prospect of a third successive Wooden Spoon, with a challenging six-day turnaround before they take on a revitalized Scotland, who recently triumphed over England with a score of 31-20.

Attendance Records and Fan Sentiment

The attendance at this match eclipsed the former low of 58,349 from a 2002 contest against Italy. Previously, the lowest crowd for a match against France was 63,208 during a Friday night fixture in 2022. However, this Sunday’s match drew 71,242 spectators.

With over half of the Welsh Rugby Union’s revenue stemming from home match income, the growing discontent among fans is becoming increasingly evident, reflecting significant turmoil both on and off the pitch. Wales has now suffered 23 losses in their last 25 international matches, including an alarming 18-match losing streak, with only two victories in three years against Japan.

Wales’ Six Nations losing streak has extended to 1,072 days, dating back to their last win over Italy in March 2023. This match marked a tenth consecutive defeat at home in the Six Nations, with Wales failing to secure a Cardiff victory in the tournament for four years, since February 2022.

Match Highlights

Despite showing improvement compared to their 48-7 loss to England in their opening match, Wales conceded 50 points at home for the fifth time in just under a year. The French supporters were vocal from the beginning and were quickly rewarded when Gailleton scored in the second minute, following excellent work from Attissogbe and captain Ollivon.

Wales fly-half Dan Edwards’ long kick was intercepted, allowing France to launch another attack, culminating in Bielle-Biarrey scoring his 23rd try in 24 caps. The Welsh kicking strategy was again exploited as Bielle-Biarrey’s break set up debutant Brau-Boirie for a stylish try, putting France ahead by 19 points within 15 minutes.

Wales did manage some pressure after a break from Ellis Mee, leading to a well-executed penalty move where Carre powered over for a try, converted by Edwards. Carre had been included in the front row to bolster strength, alongside Tomas Francis, who was making his first Six Nations start in nearly three years.

Turning Points and Key Moments

France’s dynamic and audacious offloading nearly resulted in another try for Attissogbe, but it was disallowed due to an offside ruling. Captain Dupont displayed his skill by slicing through the Welsh defense, only for Brau-Boirie to lose possession as he neared the try line.

A notable moment of frustration for Welsh coach Steve Tandy came when lock Adam Beard attempted a kick after a crucial turnover, inadvertently setting up a try for France as Jalibert capitalized on the error, extending the lead to 26-7 at halftime.

Marchand celebrated his 50th cap with an early second-half try from a well-executed driving maul. Attissogbe finally scored after a lengthy kick from Wales, following a combination play involving Bielle-Biarrey and Ramos.

Shortly thereafter, Attissogbe secured his second try, converting another cross-kick from Jalibert, while Ollivon continued to extend his record as the leading French try-scorer among forwards. Wales managed a late rally, with center Eddie James and flanker Aaron Wainwright making notable contributions, but Grady’s late consolation did little to alter the outcome.

Team Lineups

Wales:Rees-Zammit; Mee, James, Hawkins, Adams; Edwards, T Williams; Carre, Lake (capt), Francis, Jenkins, Beard, Wainwright, Mann, Cracknell.
Replacements:Elias, Smith, Griffin, Carter, Plumtree, Hardy, J Evans, Grady.

France:Ramos; Attissogbe, Gailleton, Brau-Boirie, Bielle-Biarrey; Jalibert, Dupont (capt); Gros, Marchand, Aldegheri, Ollivon, Guillard, Cros, Jegou, Jelonch.
Replacements:Lamothe, Neti, Montagne, Flament, Meafou, Nouchi, Serin, Nene.

Referee:James Doleman (Scotland)
Assistant referees:Christophe Ridley (England), Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
TMO:Richard Kelly (New Zealand)
FRPO:Mike Adamson (Scotland).