France defeated Scotland 51-9 in their Pool B match in front of a huge crowd at Sydney’s Telstra Stadium tonight, France fly half Frederic Michalak starring with the ball in hand and off the boot.
Les Bleus scored 5 tries, with Michalak contributing 28 points from a try, 4 conversions, 4 penalties and a drop goal.
Skipper Fabien Galthie secured France’s bonus point on the hour scoring his side’s fourth try.
Scotland, who defended well in patches, attacked gamely in the last 10 minutes but just couldn’t crack the French defence, their only points coming from three penalties to wing Chris Paterson.
Tight first half
In a tightly contested first half it was the French back row of Serge Betsen, Olivier Magne and Imanol Harinordoquy that paved the way for victory, flanker Betsen picking up France’s first try seven minutes from the break.
Michalak and Paterson traded early penalties to level the scores at 3-3 after 12 minutes before Michalak sent a drop goal soaring through the posts from 38 metres out to give his side a 6-3 lead after 20 minutes.
Michalak added a further three points extending his side’s lead to 9-3, after Galthie was taken in a high tackle from Scotland full back Glenn Metcalfe.
Betsen’s try gave France a 13-point lead before Paterson reduced it to ten with his third penalty goal, only for Michalak to respond with a three pointer on the half time whistle.
French roll on
Brusque potted a drop goal in the 44th minute to get the French rolling in the second half, giving his side a 22-6 lead.
Harinordoquy was rewarded for a fine game with France’s second try from a rolling maul, before tries to Michalak and Galthie put the result beyond doubt.
An individual piece of brilliance from Brusque for a five pointer in the final minutes rubbed salt into Scotland's wound.
France 51
Tries: Betsen, Harinordoquy, Michalak, Galthie, Brusque
Conversions: Michalak (4)
Penalties: Michalak (4)
Drop goals: Michalak, Brusque
Defeated
Scotland 9
Penalties: Paterson (3)
Next matches
France play USA in Wollongong on Friday, October 31 while Scotland face Fiji at Aussie Stadium in Sydney a day later in what will be a crunch match.