Wallabies Suffer Historic Winless European Tour After France Defeat

Australia's Rugby Woes Deepen in Paris Defeat

The Australian national rugby team has recorded its first winless European tour since 1957 after falling 48-33 to France at Stade de France. This marks their fourth consecutive loss this autumn, following defeats against Italy, England, and Ireland.

Match Highlights

• France scorers: Nicolas Depoortere (2 tries), Louis Bielle-Biarrey (2 tries), Thomas Ramos, Julien Marchand, Maxime Lamothe (1 try each) with Ramos adding 5 conversions and 1 penalty
• Australia scorers: Matt Faessler (2 tries), Angus Bell, Max Jorgensen, Josh Nasser (1 try each) with Tane Edmed converting 4 attempts

The Wallabies showed early promise with Faessler crossing first, but France responded swiftly through Depoortere's opening try. A back-and-forth first half ended level at 19-19, with Bielle-Biarrey emerging as France's standout performer - the winger now boasts an impressive 20 tries in just 22 international appearances.

Second Half Collapse

Despite staying competitive through France's first-half disciplinary issues (8 penalties conceded), Australia couldn't sustain their challenge after the break. While Jorgensen briefly kept hopes alive with a second-half try, Marchand and Bielle-Biarrey sealed the result with late scores.

The defeat caps a dismal year for Australian rugby, setting unwanted records:

• First 10-test losing streak in a calendar year
• Second consecutive match conceding 40+ points
• Coach Joe Schmidt's winning percentage drops below 40%

World Cup Implications

France's victory secures them top seeding for the upcoming World Cup draw, while Australia - hosts of the 2027 tournament - face major questions about their rebuilding process. In other international action, Italy closed their autumn series with a 34-19 win against debut opponents Chile.