Frogs hold on for gutsy win

Frogs hold on for gutsy win

27 Feb 2009

France survived a nervy last five minutes to claim a 21-16 victory in Paris to deny Wales a record ninth successive Six Nations win.

Wales gave it their all in the dying moments of the match as they looked to keep their Grand Slam hopes alive, but the French, buoyed by the home crowd, stood up tall to throw the Six Nations wide open.

The match was an all out slug fest highlighted by some bone-crunching tackles and some fearsome cleaning out at the breakdown typified by the outstanding Imanol Harinordoquy and Thierry Dusautoir.

In an evenly balanced first-half Stephen Jones and Morgan Parra exchanged early penalties before a Welsh lineout led to the first try of the game. Tom Shanklin started the move before Lee Bryne took the ball on a great angled run to slice through the French defence for the five points.

With seven minutes left in the first half the French scrumhalf cut the lead to just seven with yet another penalty before, right on the stroke of half-time, the hosts levelled matters through a Dusautoir try which Parra converted with ease.

France made a good start to the second-half and had the opportunity to go in front for the first time in the game just three minutes in, but Parra’s attempt struck the upright.

However, the Paris faithful would not have to wait long to see their side take the lead when Cedric Heymans finished off a good period of sustained pressure. Parra’s conversion attempt struck the upright and the hosts led by five.

Wales turned to their bench, bringing on Dwayne Peel and Gavin Henson, as they tried to turn the tide back in their favour.

Les Blues looked the better of the two sides in the final quarter and after two misses, Parra finally put some daylight between the teams with a 70 minute penalty, but just two minutes later replacement James Hook canceled out the scrumhalf’s effort.

The penalty gave the visitors hope as they through everything at the French with less than five minutes left, but the hosts matched Wales in the intensity department and in the end held on for a famous victory – ending Wales’ Grand Slam hopes.


171 Comments

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  • 151.SodaJoe: Reply to this comment
    28 Feb 2009, 00:10 am

    OK gotta go. Bye.

    See you through the window.

  • 152.JimT: Reply to this comment
    28 Feb 2009, 00:11 am

    #147 carol: No, just my superior intellect (of course I’m delusional too) :-)

  • 153.carol: Reply to this comment
    28 Feb 2009, 00:12 am

    #138 SodaJoe: Tricky one look for the name JimT !!
    #142 SodaJoe: Will you be wearing your lucky Lions underpants/ socks combination tomorrow for luck!
    Leeds will let you down too, but then you know that!!

  • 154.JimT: Reply to this comment
    28 Feb 2009, 00:12 am

    #149 carol: In that case he’d better withdraw your passport or lose your visa :-)

  • 155.JimT: Reply to this comment
    28 Feb 2009, 00:13 am

    #151 SodaJoe: Cheers Soda

  • 156.JimT: Reply to this comment
    28 Feb 2009, 00:14 am

    #153 carol: What’s all this obsession with underpants. You going to conduct inspection upon arrival in SA? :-)

  • 157.JimT: Reply to this comment
    28 Feb 2009, 00:19 am

    I can tell you’re tired. Go to bed Carol. :-)

  • 158.carol: Reply to this comment
    28 Feb 2009, 00:21 am

    #150 Robzim: Being an expert is great, play on it!!
    How will she ever find out?

  • 159.carol: Reply to this comment
    28 Feb 2009, 00:21 am

    #151 SodaJoe: Ta ra me old duck, have a good one!!

  • 160.carol: Reply to this comment
    28 Feb 2009, 00:24 am

    #152 JimT: Of course
    #154 JimT: That would be considered a VERY bad move!#156 JimT: No comment…. :-)
    #157 JimT: Do I sound grumpy? OK I will go to bed…
    Night Night Jim

    Night Night All…… Good luck to our teams tomorrow!!

    GO ENGLAND, GO STORMERS, GO BULLS

  • 161.JimT: Reply to this comment
    28 Feb 2009, 00:25 am

    #159 carol: I thought you’d gone to bed after that depressing game.

  • 162.carol: Reply to this comment
    28 Feb 2009, 00:25 am

    #150 Robzim: As I am sounding grumpy I am off to bed..Nighty Night..

  • 163.JimT: Reply to this comment
    28 Feb 2009, 00:27 am

    #160 carol: Bye, bye. Till next time.

  • 164.Robzim: Reply to this comment
    28 Feb 2009, 00:28 am

    #162 carol:

    Cheers Carol, you are the best!

  • 165.dquinn25: Reply to this comment
    28 Feb 2009, 01:11 am

    Finally the penny has dropped and i am proven right the great welsh revival is a total myth. The ‘best of a bad bunch’ springs to mind.

  • 166.Crouching Tiger Hidden Bokke: Reply to this comment
    28 Feb 2009, 01:47 am

    Ha ha ha!!! That’ll put those fat Welsh taffys and their arrogant ways in their place!! Good on France for fronting up and showing us the Welsh think they’re better than they really are! Wish I had watched that match now.

  • 167.mbaxman93: Reply to this comment
    28 Feb 2009, 03:08 am

    #166 Crouching Tiger Hidden Bokke: trust me i’m in wale s and u can feel the tension here haha wat scare me tho is france is getting a knack of toppling giants of world rugby ,first the world number 1′s the AB then the 6natios “dragons” wale and with the booke playing france end of year i thnk they better not underestimate them

  • 168.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    28 Feb 2009, 07:12 am

    #165 dquinn25: agreed, Wales have an average bunch of players with world class coaches, Scotland would do just as well with Gatland/Edwards.

  • 169.Puma: Reply to this comment
    28 Feb 2009, 08:12 am

    #162 carol: Sorry Carol, Never watched the game but woke to see Wales got beat by France. The only good thing thats good news for our Boks. As most players selected for the Lions team should come from Wales and Ireland. Thought Wales would win this one.

  • 170.4moreyears: Reply to this comment
    28 Feb 2009, 13:07 pm

    Glad to see Wales get beat fast becoming my least favorite team umder Gatlin.

  • 171.dquinn25: Reply to this comment
    1 Mar 2009, 00:55 am

    #168 Big Hit: your right mate, overall the standard in the six nations is honestly at an all time low. what were FKN France like? they paraded around the field after the match like they had just won the fkn world cup.

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