After a scrappy period in the midfield, it’s all over! Four in row for Wales against France! And their Six Nations dream is still alive. The home support meanwhile fill the Stade de France with the most piercing cacophony of whistling. An exciting if not particularly distinguished game. Wales deserved their win, playing their usual power game, kicking well, a glorious passing move proving the difference. France ... well, France need to start flinging the passes around again, don’t they? It’s what they do. It’s who they are. This can’t continue, that much is true.
Wales’ players celebrate victory. Photograph: Philippe Wojazer/Reuters
78 min: France work the line-out satisfactorily, and drive forwards. The crowd heave with the men in blue. France attempt to work it down the right. Wales hold it up. The fling it to the left, where Dulin is in a bit of space. He cuts inside, and is absolutely clattered by Williams. Wales snaffle the loose ball as it springs from Dulin’s grasp, and this might be enough for Wales!
77 min: But an error by Wales, who fail to bind the scrum. A penalty to France. It’s on the limits of Lopez’s range, and in any case France need seven points, so they kick for the right-hand corner. It’s only just inside the 22, but a chance for France to work through a few phases in Welsh territory.
No mistake, and Wales are a converted try ahead. A brilliant response so quickly after France got themselves back into the game. Paris, she is depressed.
73 min: They’ll certainly be the happier team now, as France wheel the scrum round. This’ll be a penalty, the sort Halfpenny rarely misses, just outside the 22, to the left of the posts.
71 min: Wales have been by far the better team in this second half, but their hosts have the tails up now. But a little momentum shift as Wales hoick long down the left, and a French hand knocks on. Scrum to Wales, just outside the 22.
Lopez redeems himself, just about, by duffing a poor connection over the sticks and between the posts. To be fair, that was right on the touchline, so hardly a gimme. But it wasn’t much of a kick. A mixture of relief and excitement as he celebrates the extra two points. This really is on again!
And they get it! France finally put a few phases together. Throwing the ball hither and yon, Dusautoir surges down the middle and nearly crosses the line. He’s held up, but two raking passes left, Bastareaud again involved, and Dulin’s found in space on the touchline. He powers over, and this game is back on!
66 min: Bastareaud flicks a pass out to the left, where Atonio bombs down the wing at pace. He’s held up. France go again, the same combination. Again Wales hold firm. This is better from the French, though. They certainly need something quickly.
Straight between the sticks. Gorgeously stroked home from a tight angle. France are in a lot of trouble now. Their Six Nations campaign hangs on a gossamer thread.
64 min: The maul is working well for Wales. Again they’ve got France on the back foot, pushing them back down the left flank. Eventually a blue shirt comes in at the side, and Halfpenny will be kicking for goal, 30 yards out, though close enough to the touchline for this to be missable.
Roberts busts through the middle, drawing a couple of tackles, and passes to Lydiate, who flicks an immediate reverse ball right to Biggar. Biggar races diagonally to the corner, and touches down! A wonderful move. A Welsh score had been coming. Halfpenny, out on the right touchline, slips as he kicks and can’t convert.
Wales’s Dan Biggar scores the first try of the match. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty
59 min: Davies looks to crash through the middle, taking a long pass inside from the left. But he’s brought to a quick halt. Wales set themselves inside the 22, and whip the ball back to Biggar, who drops for goal. It’s a decent effort, 30 yards out, just to the left of the sticks. But not quite good enough, clattering off the left-hand post and away.
58 min: Wales win turnover ball after a shambolic line-out by France, deep in home territory. Wales get the scrum on the 22. Time to turn the screw, while the going is good?
56 min: Another rolling maul by Wales, and good ground is made. Wales have the penalty as France drag it down, but opt to rake the ball wide right, and for a second look like breaking clear down the wing. But the move breaks down, after the advantage is gone. Wales are on top here, though.
55 min: A lengthy period of scrumfaff. A spectator sport, this is. Several changes by France, the entire front row, but the most important switch is Tillous-Borde for Parra.
Wales’s lock Luke Charteris is stopped by Damien Chouly and Romain Taofifenua. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty
51 min: Wales enjoy their first period of sustained possession since the restart. A rolling maul, Wales making good for the 22. France come in at the side, and this’ll be a penalty. A garryowen into orbit to the right wing is gathered by North, rather brilliantly so. For a second the advantage might lead to a try, but France eventually force Wales to mishandle, and Halfpenny will be kicking for goal.
... scores! Though only just. Dearie me. That one’s hooked a little, and only just stays inside the left-hand upright. But through the posts is through the posts is through the posts, and that’s three points. We’re all level!
48 min: A few phases for France, and they’ve got penalty advantage, Wales coming in at the side. Huget attempts a grubber kick into the corner down the right, but it’s too strong. Clank. No matter, they’ll get to kick for goal, and surely won’t miss this one, smack bang in the middle of the park, on the 22. Lopez is back to take! And he ...
46 min: France plod up the middle in the Warrenball style. They’re gaining ground. Then Lopez dinks a kick across to the left wing, Dulin very nearly gathering on the touchline. It’s too flat an angle. Had that been closer to the tryline, Dulin would have been able to sprint past North and gather for the score. But the ball flies into touch. Lopez enjoys that little diagonal kick, though.
44 min: France comes straight back at Wales with the Gallic passing, flinging it hither and yon. All very stylish, the team pressing up both flanks. But eventually a more basic move, as Bastareaud attempts to bust through down the middle. However, a spot of crossing does for the move, just as the big man was threatening to cross the line. Wales, still in the dressing room, will be along in a minute.
42 min: Different kicker, same result: Parra’s effort drifts across the front of the posts and away to the left. That’s nine points gone begging. France have never been the most dependable nation in this respect, but this is ridiculous.
And we’re off again! France get proceedings under way. A dinked restart, gathered with elan, and the hosts are immediately on the front foot. And within 20 seconds, it’s a penalty, 40 yards out down the right, Wales coming in at the side. Parra will be taking this one, in the wake of Lopez’s first-half nightmare with the boot.
And that’s that for the half. Wales just about deserve their lead. France created the only try opportunity, but Wales have dominated territory and possession. Interesting more than exciting, but it’s set up beautifully for the second half. Who will keep their Six Nations season alive?
France’s scrum half Morgan Parra is tackled during a tight first half. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty
40 min: At the restart, Wales drag down a maul and concede a penalty, 30 yards from goal, just to the left of the sticks. It’s another easy kick for Lopez, but he’s having a bit of a shocker, and slices the effort well wide right of the posts. That is properly dismal.
38 min: ... but after ten of them, France snaffle the turnover. Fofana threatens to break upfield, set on a scamper by a clever offload by Bastareaud, but loses the ball. Then there’s a gap opening for Webb to squeeze through on the counter! But he’s thwarted by a last-ditch tackle too. Eventually Wales don’t bother releasing, and France can belt a penalty into touch upfield.
36 min: Davies whips a pass out to North on the right wing, 40 yards out. North looks for a second like he’s got the pace and determination to make it all the way, but Dusautoir puts a stop to his gallop. The ball’s shuttled into the middle, though, where Wales put together a few phases ...
Wales’ wing George North tries to break through the French defence. Photograph: Martin Bureau/AFP/Getty
34 min: Disallowed try! France have a numerical advantage down the right. Lopez flings a long pass to Huget on the wing. Huget breaks through a couple of weak tackles, and loops spectacularly over the line and into the corner. But that’s no try, because Lopez’s pass was clearly forward. No need for TV replays, which is good to see, the referee backing his own decision, viewed in fast-motion, high-definition reality. Lopez will be kicking himself, though.
32 min: Wales look to break upfield along the right flank. Lydiate falls on the ground, clutching the ball, and goes to sleep. Penalty, and France can clear their lines. Wales really do need to speed some of these attacks up. Quite a few gaps threaten to open up, before Wales hover about and allow France to fill them again.
28 min: A faff-free scrum! How about that? It allows Wales to quickly shuttle the ball wide right with a series of rat-a-tat passes, but North is held up by Dulin. However, there’ll be a penalty for Wales, French pinkies going where they shouldn’t.
27 min: Davies chips along the left flank. Dulin was waiting to gather, but the bounce is not kind to him, the ball kicks hard right off the turf, and Roberts gathers. Wales will have the put-in at a scrum, 15 yards from the tryline. See you in about 15 minutes, then.
25 min: A quick tap-penalty by Parra, and France are bursting upfield. Wales, panicking and backtracking at speed, refuse to release a blue shirt. Penalty, in a central position, 40 yards from the posts, and kicking downwind. But Lopez’s effort drifts wide left of the sticks, never going through the gap. That’s pretty poor, a three-point gift spurned.
22 min: Biggar gets fed up and launches a towering garryowen upfield. The wind takes it all the way back to him. He catches it, having gone nowhere. As a metaphor for this Welsh attempt at building pressure, it’s pretty effective. Possession’s eventually lost.
Wales’ fly-half Dan Biggar launches the ball upfield. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty
20 min: Wales fling a few passes around at high speed. Very pretty, if not particularly effective in terms of making ground. Williams and Roberts take turns to attempt power bursts through the middle. It all slows down a bit. But Wales are building the phases, just inside French territory.
Wales’ Liam Williams attempts to evade the tackle of France’s Mathieu Bastareaud and Morgan Parra. Photograph: Philippe Wojazer/Reuters
17 min: Scrum to France now. There goes another 120 seconds of RBS-sponsored life. The ball’s eventually dispatched back to Lopez, who dinks the ball across to the left. It’s aimless, and gathered easily by North, but Roberts has bolted offside. This’ll be an easy kick for Lopez.
14 min: So it’s scrum to Wales, near their tryline on the French right. And you know what scrums mean. That’s correct! A lot of ballsing around. What a business. Eventually, after a couple of resets and one big circular dance, the ball comes squirting out and Wales clear upfield a little.
13 min: After gathering the line out, Lopez chips a delightful crossfield ball towards Guitoune, tight on the right-hand touchline. He bats down in the direction of Huget, a magnificent effort just before he falls backwards into touch. But the ball doesn’t quite find the man. That would have been picture-book, had it come off.
12 min: Penalty for France, as Wales refuse to release in the middle of the park. It’s just inside the French half, so they’ll look for touch down the left. And Lopez finds it, well inside the 22. A chance for France to exert pressure on the Welsh defence for the first time in the match.
France’s centre Remi Lamerat falls to the ground after being tackled. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty
9 min: Biggar gathers his own kick, and Wales have gained a little bit of ground. But when the ball’s flung towards the left wing, Roberts knocks on. Wales had men over there, with a chance to gobble up some yards. But as it is, France will have the put-in.
6 min: A slick right-to-left French passing move comes to naught. Wales stream back upfield into French territory. Wales are looking to bustle their way to the left wing. And back. Ten phases, and they’re making ground. And France go off their feet. Leigh Halfpenny will have a simple kick for goal, 30 yards out in a central position.
3 min: After plenty of faffing around at the scrum, Davies looks to break down the left wing. But then Williams is clattered by Huget, and Wales refuse to release. Penalty, which allows the hosts to batter the ball into touch down the right - take note, Scotland - and gain territory.
And we’re off! Wales get the ball rolling, or more accurately spinning and flying. France snaffle, and Lopez sends a garryown upfield. For a second it looks like they’ve regained possession on the halfway line, but a knock-on hands possession to Wales, who’ll get the put-in as the teams bind for the first scrum.
The teams are out! The Stade de France in Paris crackles with that gorgeous, electric, unique Six Nations atmosphere. France keep Wales waiting in the tunnel before taking to the pitch. But eventually everyone gets there. Sam Warburton attempts to lead his men out at David Sole speed, but his team-mates, straining at the leash, break past him, the eager pups. “The Calcutta Cup next week could be a fizzing feast of free flowing rugby with tries and silly penalties galore,” writes Robin Hazlehurst. “While the most dynamic and inspired thing about France-Wales today is likely to be the anthems, followed by loads of bash and bosh. Funny old world, who saw that coming.” Ah, yes, the anthems. There’s a passionate rendition of the French national anthem ...
... but not before the Welsh one’s belted out of course.
One of these teams will, providing there’s no unlikely draw, join England and Ireland on four points at the top of the 2015 Six Nations table by the time the sun goes down. But let’s be honest, right now, this feels like a mid-table encounter, doesn’t it. Won one, lost one; won one, lost one. First the wins, and both teams could easily have been defeated by Scotland, had Vern Cotter’s green team possessed a little more patience and street smarts. As for the defeats? France were out-fought by Ireland, Wales out-thought by England. A mid-table carry-on all right.
Can either team snap out of it? Wales are coming off the back of that win at Murrayfield, so have a little momentum at least, and have beaten the French in their last three Test meetings. France meanwhile have decided to trade a little of their power game for something a tad more gallic, so back comes Morgan Parra. Hope still an energy for both sides. So it should be a fascinating match, for by the time the sun goes down, one of these teams will still have that mid-table look … but the other will still be in with a shout of the title. It’s on!
France: B Dulin, Y Huget, R Lamerat, W Fofana, S Guitoune, C Lopez, M Parra; E Ben Arous, G Guirado, R Slimani, R Taofifenua, Y Maestri, T Dusautoir, B Le Roux, D Chouly. Replacements: B Kayser, U Atonio, V Debaty, J Suta, L Goujon, S Tillous-Borde, R Tales, M Bastareaud
Wales: L Halfpenny, G North, J Davies, J Roberts, L Williams, D Biggar, R Webb; G Jenkins, S Baldwin, S Lee, L Charteris, A Wyn Jones, D Lydiate, S Warburton (captain), T Faletau. Replacements: R Hibbard, P James, A Jarvis, B Davies, J Tipuric, M Phillips, R Priestland, S Williams
