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We'll forgive him this once |
A below strength Great Britain proved too strong for a below strength France at Headingley tonight. It was a usual case of a good first half followed by a brain fart of a second half, a common trend in recent French international matches. And though a final score of 42-14 looks heavy, there's little for this French side to be ashamed of. |
The first ten minutes were very much nip and tuck. The obvious strength of this French XIII was up front and they got stuck into the British ranks early on. And yet it was the British who broke out to score first points. Ade Gardner broke from deep, cutting up the middle and handed on to David Hodgson who found Danny McGuire who crossed in front of his adoring home crowd. Rob Burrow couldn't add the goal though.
France suffered a blow in the 16th minute as Toulouse flyer Constant Villegas succumbed to a nasty looking knee injury. With one back on the bench, a reshuffle was needed. James Wynne - a half-back - replaced Villegas out wide and it threw the whole gameplan out of whack. That didn't seem to matter five minutes later. A kick through by Julien Rinaldi - an industrious worker all night - was touched on by a British defender. Maxime Grésèque was first to the loose ball to square things up at 4-4. Grésèque had a pop at a one-pointer in between times, but instead of being one point up, Les Chanticleers went 6 ahead. Following a Kevin Sinfield knock-on, Grésèque pounced to sneak a cheeky try which was improved by Bosc.
Britain hit back on the half-hour. Captain Adrian Morey went close before popping up a brilliant offload to Burrow who weaved his way through the cover to score; Kevin Sinfield's goal levelling matters. The Lions extended their lead five minutes away from that elusive cuppa. James Graham was the architect, driving close before popping a ball up to Langley who dummied and crashed over. Sinfield's goal completed the first half scoring at 16-10 to the hosts.
It would be 21 minutes gone in the second half before the French, legitimately at least, got over the line. In the meantime, Great Britain had scored five times. Stephen Wild got on the end of a Burrow break for one; Tommy Smith... sorry, Adrian Morley picking up another, converted by Kevin Sinfield. Graham and Langley carved the infield defence open again, much like the proverbial knife through butter to supply Burrow a second. And were not that lesson enough, it soon would be worse as a Gardner (!) kick wide exposed Wynne for a Paul Sykes try.
Eric Anselme was good all night and he did well with the possession gained by three consecutive penalties to score wide. No goal from Grésèque and, from the restart, James Roby made good use of his speed and strength, sneaking one from dummy-half. Last word went to the British, Roby pinching one as the defence saw fit to shape up like an off banana. Still, the final 14 minutes were stress-free, albeit it ending with a 42-14 defeat.
Love him or hate him for moving across 'the divide', Julien Rinaldi was great tonght, and he was the sang-et-or.net man of the match. Eric Anselme was good, as was the mercurial Maxime Grésèque. The better side won and won well in the end, but for an hour, we were right in this. Disappointing, but not life-threatening.
MATCH FACTS
FRANCE 14-42 GREAT BRITAIN
| | FRANCE | T | G | DG | | GB | T | G | DG |
| 1 | Bosc | | 1 | | 1 | Melling | | | |
| 2 | Planas | | | | 2 | Hodgson | | | |
| 3 | Houles | | | | 3 | Wild | 1 | | |
| 4 | Stacul | | | | 4 | Sykes | 1 | | |
| 5 | Villegas | | | | 5 | Gardner | | | |
| 6 | Grésèque | 2 | | | 6 | McGuire | 1 | | |
| 7 | Moly | | | | 7 | Burrow | 2 | | |
| 8 | Ferriol | | | | 8 | Morley | 1 | | |
| 9 | Rinaldi | | | | 9 | Roby | 1 | | |
| 10 | Guisset | | | | 10 | Lynch | | | |
| 11 | Elima | | | | 11 | Ellis | | | |
| 12 | Anselme | 1 | | | 12 | Coley | | | |
| 13 | Cologni | | | | 13 | Wilkin | | | |
| 14 | Wynne | | | | 14 | O'Loughlin | | | |
| 15 | Borlin | | | | 15 | Graham | | | |
| 16 | Gossard | | | | 16 | Sinfield | | 5 | |
| 17 | Mounis | | | | 17 | Mounis | | | |
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