By Ben Jaycock, Assistant Editor
France…………………………………….96
Tries: Penaud 6, 21, 55; Danty 9, 26; Ollivon 18, 68; Flament 33, Dupont 38, Bielle-Biarrey 41, 64; Couilloud 47, Jaminet 76, Penalty 80
Namibia………………………………….0
Having underwhelmed in the win over Uruguay last week, France needed a big response in Marseille and Fabian Galthie’s fully loaded side delivered just that with a mesmerising 14-try victory but talisman Antoine Dupont‘s injury will send alarm bells for the tournament hosts.
The French flair was on full display at a vibrant Stade Velodrome where France put in a compelling performance that forced their competitors for the Webb Ellis Cup to take notice.
Dupont was taken off in the second half after appearing to have fractured his cheek/jaw in a head-on-head collision with Johan Deysel that saw the Namibia captain red carded.
France’s pack gave Dupont a penalty advantage in the opening stages and the star scrum-half produced a wonderful cross field kick to pick out Damian Penaud, who for the sixth successive international appearance, scored.
France scored their second try inside 10 minutes as Matthieu Jalibert’s kick in behind was pounced on by Louis Bielle-Biarrey and the tyro winger handed returning centre Jonathan Danty an easy try.
Namibia captain Deysel’s impressive jackal turnover inside his own 22 momentarily halted the French avalanche but moments later the home side scored their third try with an incredible score.
Dupont raced down the right and picked out Jalibert, whose no look offload found Penaud and the winger offloaded back across the pitch to Charles Ollivon, with the former captain running in quite possibly the best try of the tournament so far.
Penaud secured his brace and France’s bonus point after just 22 minutes as Peato Mauvaka picked out his wing with another no look offload off a lineout to allow the Bordeaux Begles flyer to race away untouched.
Danty scored his second try after a well worked lineout move saw Dupont pick out the bulldozing centre from close-range.
Namibia broke forward in a rare foray and were metres away from scoring but La Rochelle powerhouse Danty got himself over the ball and the immovable object secured the jackal penalty.
Former Wasps second row Thibaud Flament crossed for number six while the visitors broke forward again but missed a golden opportunity to get on the scoresheet as they overthrew a lineout 5m out.
Gael Fickou broke through the defence before Penaud danced his way forward to provide the brilliant Dupont with an easy run in.
Dupont found himself in the Namibia 22 and despite being under immense pressure and hit late he produced another moment of magic as his pinpoint cross field kick, this time teed up his other winger Bielle-Biarrey on the stroke of half time.
Danco Burger appeared to have score a try for Namibia at the start of the second stanza but Deysel was sent to the sin bin for a high tackle on Dupont in the build up which cancelled the crossover and the centre’s reckless collision was upgraded to a red by the TMO bunker.
At the other end, replacement Baptiste Couilloud scored and Penaud later completed his hat-trick.
Bielle-Biarrey scored his second as he raced from inside his own half and sprinted from left to right to complete a breathtaking try.
It was Ollivon’s turn to score his second as he dummied to fly in from 30m out, substitute full back Melvyn Jaminet followed and a penalty try rounded off the scoring as Jason Benade collapsed a maul illegally that was destined for the line.
FRANCE: Ramos 7.5, Penaud 9, Fickou 8, Danty 8.5, Bielle-Biarrey 8.5, Jalibert 7.5 (Jaminet 54, 7.5), Dupont (c) 9 (Couilloud 46, 8); Baille 8 (Wardi 41, 7), Mauvaka 8.5 (Bourgarit 54, 7), Atonio 9 (Aldegheri 41, 7), Woki 7 (Taofifenua 41, 8), Flament 8, Cros 8, Ollivon 8.5, Jelonch 8 (Boudehent 54, Woki 57, Moefana 65, 7)
NAMIBIA: van der Berg 5 (Rossouw 41, 5), Mouton 6 (Izaacs 56, 6), Deysel (c) 5, Burger 6, Greyling 6, Loubser 5, Theron 5 (Blaauw 59, 4); Sethie 4 (Benade 51), van der Westhuizen 3.5 (Nortje 65, 4), Coetzee 4 (Shifuka 74), Tjeriko 5 (van Lill 41, 5), Ludick 5, Katjijeko 4, Retief 5, Gaoseb 4 (Hardwick 41, 5)
Star man: Damian Penaud – France
Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
