By Nick Powell, Online Editor
France………………..27
Tries: Hastoy 11, Mauvaka 55, Bielle-Biarrey 73
Conversions: Jaminet 13, 56, 74, 77
Penalties: Jaminet 4, 16
Uruguay………………12
Tries: Frietas 6, Amaya 53
Conversions: Etcheverry 54
France survived a huge scare from a phenomenally spirited Uruguay side to notch their second win of the Rugby World Cup.
Nicolas Freitas scored a fine try after Melvyn Jaminet had knocked over an early penalty to give Uruguay the lead, and though Antoine Hastoy quickly responded with a try and Jaminet slotted another three-pointer, that would be the last of the scoring in a closely fought first half.
Uruguay got within a point of the tournament hosts as the dangerous Baltazar Amaya went over before Felipe Etcheverry landed a touchline conversion, but a rapid and fortunate response from Peato Mauvaka helped France leave Los Teros at arms length.
But while Les Bleus scored another through Louis Bielle-Biarrey, they failed to get a bonus point and Uruguay could come away immensely proud with their efforts on the night.
If they were not aware of it before kick-off, the opening exchanges displayed to Uruguay just how difficult their task was going to be as France won a scrum penalty following their own knock-on, and Jaminet slotted an early penalty.
But they were not to be intimidated, and put together a superb set of attacking phases before a perfectly weighted crossfield kick from Felipe Etcheverry was collected by Frietas as Jaminet fumbled, and the winger completed a brilliant and memorable try for Los Teros.
Having dominated the first scrum, France chose to take that option from a penalty five metres out and though they didn’t drive their way over, Maxmime Lucu – whose dart had taken France as close as they were to the line – sped down the blindside and fed Hastoy for Les Bleus’s response.
More powerful and skilful build-up from deep helped Jaminet slot over another penalty for a two-score lead, but Uruguay proceeded to show extraordinary defiance in the next quarter of an hour.
At the start of the period they were being dominated at the scrum, were loose around the fringes and had no way of slowing the French ball down, but after beginning to disrupt the hosts’ possession, increase their line speed and finally gain parity – then briefly control – of the set piece, they created another scoring chance.
In that time, France lock Romain Taofifenua was fortunate to avoid a red card as his shoulder contacted the head of Uruguayan scrum-half Santiago Arata, only receiving a yellow as Sekou Macalou’s earlier tackle provided mitigation with Arata on his way down.
Fly-half Etcheverry looked to have scored Los Teros’s second as he dummied his way through and over, and though obstruction from Tomás Inciarte saw that try ruled out, Uruguay could head down the tunnel extremely happy with their work as France saw a late chance spoiled for the same offence and the gap remained at eight at the break.
Were Uruguay to pull off such a huge upset, they would need to score first in the second period, and a beautiful line and break from Amaya helped them up to within a few metres of the French line.
After winning a penalty, the chance broke down in the resulting lineout drive, but with France making their own lineout error from their next chance and Jaminet missing a long range penalty attempt, Uruguay headed into the last half hour with the gap still at eight points.
France, like Uruguay, saw what would’ve been their second try ruled out as Anthony Jelonch knocked on in the build-up to a disallowed try for Gabin Villière, and Manuel Ardao produced a terrific turnover on halfway to set up another opportunity for Los Teros.
And Amaya got reward for his earlier break as he superbly rounded Arthur Vincent to score in the corner, with Etcheverry landing a terrific conversion to cut the gap to one.
From one of his best goal kicks, Etcheverry produced one of his worst in open play as his low clearance thudded straight into substitute teammate Carlos Deus, only on the field a matter of seconds, and Uruguay hearts were broken with Mauvaka collecting the loose ball and gathering well to finish.
It was a cruel blow for Los Teros, and a huge slice of luck for the hosts, but Uruguay survived another close-range French chance and went back on the attack into the final fifteen minutes as they continued to search for a first win against tier one opposition.
They fumbled from their lineout maul, and France repeated the feat a few minutes after in a sequence that summed up the set-piece scrappiness of the contest.
But Les Bleus finally clicked into gear and secured victory in the final ten minutes as solid build-up preceded a well-executed backs move that sent Bielle-Biarrey over in the corner, with Jaminet slotting the conversion for a three-score lead.
Uruguay came back again as they had all match, and after Sekou Macalou had a long-ranged counter-attacking score harshly ruled out for kicking through the ruck, Los Teros fittingly ended the night with yet another turnover after they had fumbled in search of a third try.
It brought to an end the bravest of showings for world number 17 ranked Uruguay, who have progressed a great distance since their first World Cup in 2003 where a second string England team beat them 111-13.
FRANCE: Jaminet 7, Bielle-Biarrey 7, Vincent 5, Moefana 7, Villière 6, Hastoy 7, Lucu 7 (Couilloud 64, 7); Gros 5 (Wardi 50, 5), Bourgarit 6 (Mauvaka 50, 7), Aldegheri 6 (Falatea 50, 5), Woki 6 (Flament 58, 5), Taofifenua 4 (Chalureau 50, 6), Boudehent 7, Macalou 8, Jelonch (c) 5 (Cros 50, 6)
Not used: Thomas Ramos
URUGUAY: Amaya 9, Basso 6, Inciarte 5, Vilaseca (c) 7, Freitas 8, Etcheverry 7 (Berchesi 58, 6), Arata 7 (Ormaechea 58, 6), Sanguinetti 4 (Benitez 50, 5), Pujadas 6 (Gattas 50, 6), Peculo 5 (Piussi 50), Aliaga 6 (Dotti 58, 6), Leindekar 6, Ardao 7 (Bianchi 54, 6), Civetta 7, Diana 6 (Deus 54, 5)
Star Man: Baltazar Amaya (Uruguay)
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One has to question the bunker system.
Pictures show clear head contact and a tucked arm.
Can the citing commissioner step in.